Ford is to deploy an exoskeleton called EksoVest to reduce the risk of work-related injuries. In total, the company will purchase 75 copies of the EksoVest, which will be deployed in 15 different plants worldwide.
Many operations in car factories are carried out while a vehicle is on a bridge. In this, workers stand under the vehicle to place components, for example, working above their strength. "Building vehicles is a physically demanding job," explained Bruce Hettle, Ford group vice president, Manufacturing and Labor Affairs. "We care about our workers and try to help them do their jobs with as little wear and tear on their bodies as possible."
In use worldwide
Ford is therefore procuring a total of 75 EksoVest's. EksoVest is an exoskeleton developed by US company Ekso Bionics, which has worked closely with Ford in the process. The EksoVest's support workers while they have to work above their strength. The exoskeletons support workers' arms while they, for example, use power tools to tighten bolts to fix a component. This reduces the load on the workers' arms, reducing fatigue and the risk of injury.
The EksoVest's are suitable for workers with a height of 1.57 to 1.93 metres, thanks to its ability to adjust the suit 50 centimetres. The device can take a weight 2.27 to 6.8 kilograms per arm from workers, reducing the weight workers have to carry themselves. Ford points out that the EksoVest is lightweight and small, allowing workers wearing the suit to move their arms freely and easily. The suit weighs 4.3 kilograms.
Applications
Ekso Bionics reports that the exoskeleton can be used in the automotive industry for a variety of applications. These include applications where workers use power tools, as well as those where they manipulate components by hand. Thus, the suit is aimed at employees who work with screwdrivers, impact spanners, torque spanners and paint sprayers, among others, as well as employees who, for example, connect fuel lines or have to lift heavy components such as heat shields, protective plates and bumpers.
The EksoVest's were previously tested by Ford during a pilot project at two plants in the US state of Michigan: the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne and the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock. The feedback from Ford employees collected during these two projects was used to further refine the technology. So, based on the results of these pilot projects, Ford has now decided to commit permanently to using the exoskeletons and roll them out in plants worldwide.
In use worldwide
The exoskeletons will be deployed in 15 of the carmaker's plants in seven countries worldwide. Ford reports that the exoskeletons will be used in all of the company's assembly facilities in North America, while the suits will also be deployed in plants in both Asia, Europe and South America.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Ford (pictured)
Source: Ekso Bionics
