Reducing the jig weight for large product assemblies
Using Futaba's CFRP PLATE to make a heavy jig significantly reduced weight and resulted in a jig that even a woman can handle with confidence. It helped establish a safer workplace.
Overview
Applications and advantages
Positioning jig for large product assemblies
Using Futaba's CFRP PLATE for parts of a large assembly jig that must be held with both hands has improved the workability and productivity.
Background of introduction
Problems to solve
Women have limited opportunities at production sites.
Circumstances
With growing numbers of women working at production sites, many companies are seeking to increase opportunities for them to play active roles.
Article 2 of the Ordinance concerning Labour Standards for Women established under the Labour Standards Law stipulates that "when an adult woman is involved in intermittent work, the maximum weight that she can carry by herself is 30 kg." Dropping a heavy object can also lead to injuries. For these and other reasons, many companies have established stricter safety regulations at production sites.
Reducing the weight of work jigs should help create worksites in which women can also work.
At the company in this example, company regulations stipulate that women can handle metal jigs weighing up to 10 kg. Only men handled heavy jigs, such as assembly jigs for large products.
Making jigs with resin can reduce weight but at the expense of strength.FRP jigs are difficult to process.
To reduce the weight of the jigs, efforts were made to use resin materials for all jigs handled at the worksites. However, it was known that changing to resin materials reduced strength. Jigs made of strong FRP would satisfy the requirements for strength and rigidity but raise many problems, including low processability, high cost, and complex design.
Futaba's CFRP PLATE solved the problem!
A positioning jig was made with Futaba's CFRP PLATE to replace the aluminum jig weighing 16 kg This led to a jig weighing 7.8 kg while maintaining the strength.
Advantages of introduction
Advantages of introducing Futaba's CFRP PLATE
Futaba's CFRP PLATE is as strong as aluminum but has half the specific gravity, and can be processed with high precision. Switching from aluminum to Futaba's CFRP PLATE improved workability and helped establish a production site where women can work.
Weight of positioning jig reduced
Weight reduced from 16.08 kg to 7.81 kg
Three significant advantages achieved
Reducing the weight of the jig improved safety and work efficiency while reducing labor costs.
Comments from a Professional Engineer
This example involves using Futaba's CFRP PLATE to reduce the weight of a heavy jig so that women can handle it. Previously, only men could handle this jig due to company safety regulations. The weight and moment of a heavy object not only impose various loads on each part of the body, they affect work speed, accuracy, and the rate and stability of repetitive tasks. In addition, workers have to concentrate on handling heavy objects, which can easily cause fatigue and loss of attention to other tasks, leading to accidents and failures. We recommend Futaba's CFRP PLATE in all fields. Its light weight not only provides barrier-free and gender-free solutions, it contributes to productivity and safety.
Professional Engineer, Japan; certified by the Institution of Professional Engineers, Japan Nagano Professional Engineer Office CEO
Makoto Nagano