Limiting design criterion analysis of a relay type production line

Abstract

This research provides an ergonomic analysis of the bucket brigade production line and identifies the potential ergonomic risk factors that may result from the utilization of this production technique. Biomechanical and physiological data of the workers was collected while they worked on the traditional and bucket brigade production lines. The research identifies that while the production level of the bucket brigade system may be higher than the traditional production line, its procedure required significantly less energy expenditure by the operators. However, the difficulty and amount of work experienced by the last worker in the bucket brigade line may cause productivity problems and promote a high turnover rate at that station, and thus is the limiting design criterion of the bucket brigade production methodology from a human factors perspective.