Viewing Part During the “Touch-up” Procedure

  1. Current Process:Operators currently view the part during touch up with an adjustable microscope located at the front of the station. Due to height constraints from the chair and micropen machine, the microscope will always be high enough compared to the operator that they are required to flex their neck and back to reach the eyepieces.
  2. Current Problem:

Ergonomic issues presented by the operator having to “lean” forward to look through the microscope. Ergonomic issues include neck, lower back, and shoulder pain from using the microscope.

  1. Suggested Process Improvement (Solution):

Camera with a Screen

●Why: A camera with a screen would allow the operator to sit back and do the process in a more ergonomically safe position. In addition, it would reduce the amount of motion that the operator has to perform throughout the course of the touch-up procedure.

●How: The screen would be placed in easy eyesight of the operator, and would be large enough that they would not have to lean forward to view it.

○Camera is angled above and slightly behind the tool fixture for optimal view. This replicates the operator's perspective without interfering with the touch up process.

●Materials: This solution requires selection of a camera with sufficient zoom and picture quality, a mounting apparatus for the camera, and a compatible monitor placed in an ergonomically friendly position with an adjustable mount.

○Favored monitor model is 19in Samsung monitor currently used in stations with the mount that Micropen currently uses.

The chosen solution for the viewing subsystem involves inclusion of a Hitachi KPD20-AU camera used to view the part as the operator works on it. Micropen owns this camera and is currently using it at an unrelated station. They will be upgrading that station to use a Truechrome ii HD camera, and moving the the Hitachi to the touch up station. Because of this, they already own the majority of mounting systems required for the camera. We will need to purchase an additional mounting bar and knuckle for the camera, taking into account custom dimensions that will perfectly suit the workstation. Additionally, a Navitar B&L Converter Plate will be necessary to fully adapt the new system.

Truechrome ii HD Camera

In order to have sufficient zoom, the Hitachi camera will need to be outfitted with a lens attachment. The camera supplier, Spectra Services, recommended a Navitar 2x adapter, with either the “short” or “mini” option, which concerns length of the attachment. We decided that the price difference to upgrade to the mini model was not worth it, and that the short model would still suit our needs.

Navitar 2x Short Adapter

In addition to the camera system, a monitor will be acquired to display the camera’s viewpoint for the operator. Micropen will be checking if there are any suitable monitors available in their facility before we decide if a new monitor and mounting system needs to be purchased.

When fully operational, the system will drastically reduce the amount of strain operators have been feeling in their neck, which was the highest impact area from the operator surveys.

Pareto Chart of Discomfort

There was a worry that operators would naturally be inclined to lean over and focus on the part themselves without the use of the new viewing system, but when a mockup was presented to them by one of our Micropen contacts, the operators instantly worked in the fashion we had hoped for, using the screen as a guide to relieve strain on themselves.