Effect of horizontal pick and place locations on shoulder kinematics

Abstract

In this study the effects of horizontal bin locations in an order picking workstation on upper arm elevation, trunk inclination and hand use were investigated. Eight subjects moved (self-paced) light or heavy products (0.2 and 3.0 kg) from a central product bin to an inner or outer order bin (at 60 or 150 cm) on the left or right side of the workstation, while movements were recorded. The outer compared to inner bin location resulted in more upper arm elevation and trunk inclination per work cycle, both in terms of number of peak values and in terms of time integrals of angles (which is a dose measure over time). Considering the peak values and time integrals per minute (instead of per work cycle), these effects are reduced, due to the higher cycle times for outer bins. Hand use (left, right or both) was not affected by order bin locations.

Abstract

Practitioner Summary: Workers in order picking workstations are exposed to long durations and high frequencies of arm movements. Horizontal compared to vertical bin placement minimises arm elevations, although the change from a ‘standing’ to a ‘walking’ situation also increases the postural load, but to a much lesser extent.

Keywords::

• order picking
• workstation design
• horizontal distance
• movement strategy
• hand use

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

We would like to thank Vanderlande Industries for their support. This work was financially supported by the European shared cost project ‘Imoshion’, funded under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development of the European Union.