Tag Archive: ergonomics

  1. Safe and Efficient: Best Print Environment Ever!

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    To get the most out of your printing operation, you need to account for many factors, including lighting, adequate compressed air supply, controlled temperature and humidity, quality consumables, etc. Everything of value in your operation must be put in place, maintained, serviced and supplied. One factor often overlooked is the operator, and more pertinent to this discussion, operator ergonomics.

    An operator who exerts as little energy as possible per print cycle and who has everything needed to complete the assignment within the production cell will deliver consistent and predictable productivity throughout the shift. Additionally, job satisfaction and, most importantly, safety will impact your company’s throughput and profit. Never dispute the value of a happy employee.

    Ergonomics
    When designing your operator’s production cell, keep in mind the following to improve working conditions:

    • The distance / height of reach for an item
    • Comfortable seating
    • Proper floor mats, also known as anti-fatigue mats.
    • Temperature and humidity control in the work environment including heat exhaust from nearby heaters or dryers.
    • Rotations within shifts. This prevents repetitive stress disorders and boredom.  It also ensures crew flexibility and increases the employee’s perception of value to the operation, putting the emphasis on the importance of production.
    • The right tool for the right job. Avoid cheap multi-tools with every hex-key ever made. Our pad printing equipment should not require the use of more than 4 hex-keys.

    Safety
    As mentioned above, safety will most definitely impact your bottom line. OSHA provides an interactive program on their website called $afety Pays  to help determine the financial impact of injuries. This number can be used when calculating ROI of safety equipment.

    • Always hang cables and hoses from the ceiling; never lay them on the ground.
    • Wear gloves, goggles, and aprons.
    • Do not disable safety features on machines. They are installed for a reason.
    • Keep pallets out of the way. If possible, keep pallets out of the production area completely. Moving an empty pallet around creates extra work and aching backs.
    • Fixtures should be designed carefully to ensure fingers stay out of way of the pad.
    • Take the time to properly train every production member on how to lift with their knees. On-the-job training means it is a requirement of the job.

    Preparation
    Try always to be proactive instead of reactive. For example, instead of requesting or preparing ink during the changeover time, someone should have the ink ready for the operator before the job begins. Any way you can keep the printer printing will improve your up-time.

    • Keep all thinners and other supplies available at the production cell.
    • Keep a supply of cleaning materials at the production cell.
    • Use outside help for non-printing tasks, like handling boxes, proofing jobs, work orders, removing pallets, etc.
    • Printing can be a bottleneck. Exploit it by keeping the printer printing.

    Job Satisfaction
    A happy employee is a productive employee. Think about it. If your employees are frustrated about working conditions, they are distracted from their job.

    • The less your operator deals with job frustrations and physical fatigue, the more printing cycles will take place.
    • Removing frustrations and dangers from your operator allows more commitment to quality, service, and exceeding production goals, resulting in …
    • The best print environment ever!

    Need Help?
    PPMOVT’s Sales Engineers are really smart! Why not use them? They’ll help you figure out the holes in your operation and recommend ways to plug up productivity drains.  Call us at 1-800-272-7764, or use Live Chat on our Home page https://www.padprintmachinery.com

    Then we can add your business to the list of best print environments ever!

  2. Ergonomics in the Printing Environment

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    Here’s a quick study on ergonomics.

    Simply put, ergonomics is defined as the science of work. The word is derived from two Greek words: ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural laws. So it is really the science of work and a human relationship to that work; a “discipline focused on making products and tasks comfortable and efficient for the user” (from about.com).

    We call it workplace and equipment design that maximizes productivity and minimizes operator fatigue, discomfort and repetition. There are even some laws on the book protecting employees from poor ergonomic process.

    Are pad or inkjet print ergonomics different?

    It could be as simple as moving supplies to a more accessible location. Or create a staging area close by the pad or inkjet printer with a rolling table. It could be as amazing as adding automation to your existing machine, like a conveyor or pick-and-place robotic arm.

    You can check your work environment yourself, or call us to do it for you. It benefits your employees, your business and your bottom line! When PPMoV analyzes your ergonomic setup, we evaluate the following three major components of ergonomics:

    1      The Workplace:
    Design:  Is there maximum throughput at the printer, and efficient flow-through of parts throughout the process (e.g., from mold to assembly and/or packaging)?
    Setup:  Have you allowed an adequate staging area for both blank (unprinted) parts, and efficient “take-away” of the treated parts to the conveyor/oven/next work cell?
    Environment:  Have you provided “operator-centric” lighting, ventilation, and proximity to the ink mix/cleanup area? Did you set up a “process-centric” stable environmental condition (for ink management)?

    2      The Operator:
    Intervention:  Did you minimize movement distances for both manual and continuous cycles? Can you save time & steps by replacing manual pad cleaning with automatic pad cleaning at each print station?
    Efficiency:  Should you adjust machine height to accommodate all operators? Remember: users’ heights vary!  Can you assure that machine dimensions safely accommodate maximum part size and weight? Would you like us to suggest tooling designs that are “easy in, easy out?” Should you measure potential safety issues like “pinch points,” noise levels, etc.?

    3     The Equipment:
    Engineered to task:  Can you minimize setups and/or changeovers (e.g., are you using a one-color machine for two-color jobs)? Can you minimize part handling from load, to pre- treat (when required), to print station(s), to unload?

    Become a Case Study

    After our evaluation, we talk to you. We listen to what your goals are, what bothers you, where you see your business heading. Can you become a success case study?

    Read this Power Tools. It’s about automation, but their employees needed ergonomic help as well.

    I don’t know where to start?

    It starts with a phone call. Engineered Printing Solutions is a different printing equipment manufacturer – we don’t sell the same machine to everyone; we build it just for you. We want your equipment to grow with your business. Your work is specialized, flexible and expanding; your equipment should be too. EPS has reps assigned to your area waiting to hear from you. Call us at 1-800-272-7764, or use the form below.

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