Course syllabus for Production ergonomics & work design

Course syllabus adopted 2023-02-12 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameProduktionsergonomi och arbetsdesign
  • CodeMPP027
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPPEN
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyAutomation and Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering
  • ThemeMTS 4 c
  • DepartmentINDUSTRIAL AND MATERIALS SCIENCE
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 34124
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0111 Written and oral assignments 3 c
Grading: TH		 3 c
0211 Intermediate test 4.5 c
Grading: TH		 4.5 c
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Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Same as for Chalmers Master's Programme in Production Engineering.

Aim

Production Ergonomics and Work Design (PEWD) is an engineering discipline concerned with the safe, healthy, effective and economic use of human resources in industrial work. The course aims at giving a basic introduction to the PEWD area with a special focus on human individual, physiological, biomechanical, and social requirements and capacities during work, while relating their improvement to productivity factors in industrial operations.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  • Identify harmful work conditions on the basis of theory and methods
  • Discuss different work environment parameters' effect on ergonomics
  • Carry out a design for assembly study
  • Select and apply a proper method to study and quantify human physical work load in an observed situation
  • Select and apply a predetermined time system
  • Design an appropriate material presentation at a work place.
  • Justify why and explain how to carry out a set-up improvement
  • Select appropriate hand tools for improving ergonomics and productivity in manual assembly
  • Explain and justify recommendations and limit values for cognitive and social working conditions
  • Explain how human physical measurements affect workplace and equipment design
  • Use knowledge about anthropometry, cognitive abilities and user needs to design a workplace that gives good accommodation to a diverse workforce and supports equity, equality and inclusion in the work tasks. 
  • Carry out a time study and a performance rating
  • Follow a specified project methodology
  • Evaluate a work place design solution from an economical point of view (including HF aspects)
  • Motivate and defend a proposed work place design solution

Content

  • Design for Assembly (DFA)
  • Physical ergonomics
  • Basic physiology
  • Methods Engineering
  • Time study
  • Performance
  • Balancing
  • Environmental physical factors
  • Physical loading (on the body)
  • Ergonomics evaluation methods
  • Task analysis
  • Pre-determined time systems
  • SAM (Sequence-based Activity Analysis Method)
  • Manual Materials Handling
  • Digital Human Modeling
  • Anthropometry (human measurements and populations)
  • Ergonomics & economics
  • Psychosocial factors
  • Motivation
  • Participative ergonomics
  • Cognitive ergonomics
  • Hand tools
  • Set-up and man-machine balancing
  • Social sustainability for work systems

Organisation

The course consists of lectures, quizzes, exercises, labs, and a group project. The labs introduce students to manual and virtual methods for work method- and time studies, as well as physical workload assessment. The project involves booking the project equipment and independently performing tests and measurements outside of scheduled class time. Access to the lab area is granted on the condition that students complete a mandatory safety quiz.

Literature

Textbooks (e-books) and handouts from lecturers.

Examination including compulsory elements

Written individual assignments, fulfilled exercises, laboratory work and project work.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.