A survey of right-angle power tool use in Canadian automotive assembly plants

Right-angle power-tools (RAPT) employed in automotive manufacturing promote greater productivity and quality fastenings, as well as, improve process efficiency. Due to RAPT technological advances automotive manufactures desire to understand their ergonomics consequences within a laboratory environment, however, laboratory-based representation must accurately represent the real world. A survey within automotive assembly plants was conducted to capture RAPT operation data. After examining 80 total RAPT operations, we logged the 3D locations of the fastener location (with respect to the operator), direction and the hand placement location used by operators. Four common locations with respect to the midpoint between the ankle (in cm; X = sagittal plane, Y = transverse plane, Z = coronal plane): 1) 2, 113, 62; 2) 42, 104, 45; 3) -26, 151, 36; 4) -37, 92, 52. These locations can be used to simulate RAPT operations within a laboratory. The survey provided insight into current workstation layout when operating RAPTs and, knowledge for laboratory-based RAPT examinations so that simulated tasks best represent their operation in automotive manufacturing.