International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 02 Issue: 05 | Aug-2015 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
© 2015, IRJET ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal Page 1373
RULA Analysis of Work-Related Disorders Of Foundry Industry Worker
Using Digital Human Modeling (DHM)
S. C. Mali
1
and R. T. Vyavahare
2
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, SVERI’s College of Engineering (Polytechnic), Gopalpur, Pandharpur,
Taluka-Pandharpur, District-Solapur, Pin-413304, Maharastra, India.
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering, Korti, Pandharpur,
Taluka-Pandharpur, District-Solapur, Pin-413304, Maharastra, India.
Abstract: Ergonomic troubles are major issues faced
by the metalwork manufacture. The ergonomics
principles play very life-sustaining role in operators’
productivity. The two factors such as workstation
layout and work design are important for operators’
or workers’ efficiency. Work-Related Musculoskeletal
disorder (WMSD) is the common health problems of
the industrial workers. This health problem can lead
to long term effect on the output performance. The
objective of this work is to study the postures of
industrial worker in foundry industry using the RULA
assessment using CATIA V5R19 software. The working
postures were modelled in the CATIA V5 R19 software
and then RULA assessment was conducted. From the
RULA analysis, several awkward postures were
detected with high in risk ingredients. This paper
presents an ergonomic evaluation of workstation in a
one foundry industry at sangali in Maharashtra state.
The Various key postures of the workers were
evaluated . Also study includes suggestions for the
improvement. Tools like Rapid Upper Limb
Assessment (RULA) and digital human manikin (DHM)
were used in this study.
Keywords: Ergonomics, RULA Analysis, WMSD, Posture,
CATIA, DHM.
1. Introduction
Industrial workers are easier to be exposed to
discomfort and pain at work. The occupational risk
factors are the biggest factors to these health problems
and it can be found in any industries (Halim, et al. 2005).
MSDs are able to degrade the health of the workers thus
reduces the workers' performance in completing their
tasks. Several literatures had suggested that the effect of
low performance by the workers can have significant
economic and social
consequences [4, 5, 6, 7]. This can be seen by the
compensation claims for the employers that are
increasing which may overburden the health system [8,
9]. One of the major reasons for sick leave and work
injuries in the industry is due to the inefficient of
production ergonomics. Moreover, manufacturing
companies had lost a huge amount of money in their
resource budget to support the staff replacement and
rehabilitation. Reports from many researchers had
stated that production interruption and companies’
inefficiency may be caused by the high staff turnover and
sick leave [11, 12, 13]. Because of this downside, it is
important to ensure the health of the workers and their
postures is one of the factors that need to be considered
closely in running certain work task. A basic analysis of a
work task can depend on questionnaires, interviews and
video analysis. In addition, numerous measurements
commonly known as assessment method can be used for
physical risk assessment of job activities, usually specific
to a body part or a type of activity. There are various
ergonomic assessment method of manual tasks exist in
the market. For example, are the RULA, REBA, OWAS,
LUBA, QEC, PATH and PEO method [14, 15, 3]. Rapid
Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) index is one of the most
cited and commonly used tools for evaluating ergonomic
risk of work-related MSDs [15, 16]. RULA is a subjective
observation method for posture analysis that focuses on
the upper part of the body with the particular attention
to the neck, trunk and upper limbs [17, 18, 15].
Observational methods based on videotaped work task
sequences to analyze various kinds of manual tasks with
certain software are widely used nowadays because of
its practicality and affordability [19, 15]. When designing
a new task, another option is to use digital human
models.