Decision-Making Framework for Implementing Safer Human-Robot Collaboration Workstations: System Dynamics Modeling

Guilherme Deola Borges,Hatice Gonçalves,André Cardoso,Rafael Ariente Neto,Pedro Arezes,Ana Colim,Paula Carneiro,Eugenio Merino,Angélica Muffato Reis,Diego Luiz De Mattos

doi:10.3390/safety7040075

Abstract

Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) systems are often implemented seeking for reducing risk of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) development and increasing productivity. The challenge is to successfully implement an industrial HRC to manage those factors, considering that non-linear behaviors of complex systems can produce counterintuitive effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to design a decision-making framework considering the key ergonomic methods and using a computational model for simulations. It considered the main systemic influences when implementing a collaborative robot (cobot) into a production system and simulated scenarios of productivity and WMSD risk. In order to verify whether the computational model for simulating scenarios would be useful in the framework, a case study in a manual assembly workstation was conducted. The results show that both cycle time and WMSD risk depend on the Level of Collaboration (LoC). The proposed framework helps deciding which cobot to implement in a context of industrial assembly process. System dynamics were used to understand the actual behavior of all factors and to predict scenarios. Finally, the framework presented a clear roadmap for the future development of an industrial HRC system, drastically reducing risk management in decision-making.

Highlights

The recent advance in industrial technology is dealing with complex problems: to increase productivity without neglecting human factors; to look for specific improvements in spite of considering the whole system dynamics; and to solve today’s problems without creating a new one to be addressed in the future [1,2]
The results demonstrate that inserting an industrial HumanRobot Collaboration (HRC) system is complex
Some critical checks were performed in order to verify if an industrial HRC system was technically practicable in the workstation with the mentioned characteristics

Summary

Introduction

The recent advance in industrial technology is dealing with complex problems: to increase productivity without neglecting human factors; to look for specific improvements in spite of considering the whole system dynamics; and to solve today’s problems without creating a new one to be addressed in the future [1,2]. The implementation of a HumanRobot Collaboration (HRC) system is often aimed at reducing Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) at the same time that increases production, by combining the skills of both humans and robots [3,4]. Workers are exposed daily to physical and mental workplace hazards [5], especially in assembly workstations in industry [6]. Ergonomic risks lead to absenteeism due to WMSD [7,8]. In order to mitigate those issues, a possible ergonomic intervention is to implement an industrial HRC system, which combines both robot and human skills. A cobot performs the task like a co-worker, with no physical barriers to help achieve a goal [9]. As a co-worker, it is expected to increase productivity [10]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion