Evaluation of Non-Wheat Noodle Machine Design with An Ergonomic Approach

Abstract

Designing machines without involving the human factor can cause users discomfort, fatigue, and health problems. Ergonomic criteria when designing machines can increase user effectiveness. PT. Noang Prima Utama uses an extruder to produce pasta under the “LocaPasta” brand. Complaints of pain in the neck and back for 1-3 days due to standing position, bending down, and arms reaching forward for a long-time during production. The research objective was to evaluate the extruder design using the anthropometric method. Anthropometric data were tested for uniformity, data adequacy, and the determination of percentiles. Machine dimensions were compared with user anthropometer data for design improvement. When feeding materials into the hopper, the operator’s working posture needed to be more ergonomically adequate due to raised arms and pushing the material bit by bit (repetitively). The evaluation of the machine design based on anthropometric dimensions reveals several improvements. The redesigned extruder machine includes changes such as adjusting the footstep height to 27.7 cm so that the height of the setting box to 120.95 cm from the footstep (adjusting to standing shoulder height), allowing rotation of the setting box and the hopper height from the footstep is parallel to the standing elbow height which is 92.1 cm. With the implementation of the new prototype, the operator’s working posture no longer involves bending over while adjusting the machine, and the arms can comfortably rest on the hopper while feeding the material.