EQUIPMENT & TOOLS – EXOSKELETONS
Work wearable
Vehicle maker IVECO has introduced a wearable ‘exoskeleton’ device from
automation specialist Comau. This is helping to reduce the fatigue on the
upper limbs suffered by assembly-line workers at the company
A n exoskeleton, as the name
suggests, is an external
frame that can be worn
to support the body.
In the animal kingdom,
some invertebrates, such as lobsters,
scorpions, and crabs, have an exoskeleton
(a rigid external covering for the body) for
the attachment of muscles, helping with
movement as well as providing protection
from the environment. We humans on the
other hand, along with other mammals
and fish, have an endoskeleton (an
internal support structure).
In recent years, exoskeleton
development has also taken off across
industry (see box for some other
providers). These devices have been
designed to aid operators by providing
support to the body, including the
back, shoulders, waist and thighs, and
assist with movement, such as repetitive
tasks and lifting and holding heavy items.
One provider is industrial automation
specialist Comau. Its wearable
exoskeleton called ‘Mate’ aims to improve
work quality in an efficient and ergonomic
manner by providing consistent and
advanced movement assistance during
repetitive, as well as daily, tasks
(www.is.gd/eyojuc). The Mate Fit for
Workers exoskeleton uses a spring-based
passive structure and aims to deliver
lightweight, breathable and effective
postural support without the need for
batteries or motors.
As reported by Engineering Designer
magazine last autumn, the device does
not increase the strength of workers, but
instead helps to compensate the weight
of the arm by a mechanical chain that
discharges its weight not to the shoulder,
but directly to the pelvis bones. It
weighs less than 4kg and
consists
of three elements: a passive mechanism
called the ‘active box’ to provide
adjustable gravity compensation; a
mechanical chain, including linear and
rotational guides, to naturally follow the
body’s motion; and the surfaces of the
device that actually attach to the body.
Furthermore, it comes in two sizes: small/
medium and large, with each able to
adjust in width at the shoulder, in height,
and at the belly.
Mate has recently been introduced to
the operators on a minibus production
line at the Brescia, Italy plant of vehicle
maker IVECO (Industrial Vehicle
Corporation). The move was born out
of a desire to preserve the health of
employees while also improving their
comfort and, consequently, the quality
of their work. Here, IVECO explains its
reasoning behind adopting the device,
and what have been the subsequent
effects of its introduction on operators.
BEFORE
Among the production lines at the
factory is the Eurocargo line. Plant
manager Marco Colonna says: “The
production of Eurocargo makes us proud,
because its huge range of configurations
allows us to offer our customers about
13,000 different versions. In other words,
it’s very rare that two identical vehicles
are delivered at the same time.
“Obviously, keeping high production
efficiency with such significant product
variability is not simple, and requires
a structured logistics organisation,
because many materials are delivered
to the various stations on a just-in-time
basis and according to the production
cycle. Consequently, the flow of
information must be managed
correctly as well, in order to ensure that
everyone knows what to do at any given
time and has all the necessary tools
available for their tasks.”
Such an organisation is the result
of the application of a ‘World Class
Manufacturing (WCM) philosophy’
(www.is.gd/xuxafo), a strategy that
incorporates the methodologies of
total productive maintenance (TPM),
lean manufacturing and total quality
management. Paolo Gozzoli, WCM
plant support of IVECO, says: “WCM is
a production approach that involves the
company at every level and function,
from production to safety, logistics and
By Adam Offord
52 www.operationsengineer.org.uk Autumn 2020
/eyojuc)
/xuxafo)
/www.operationsengineer.org.uk