自動車組立作業支援装置スキルアシストの実用化

抄録

Modular component assembly has become a dominant trend in the final assembly process at automobile manufacturers. The modular component assembly system poses a problem of installation difficulty, since modular components are heavier and larger than individual parts. To solve this problem, a new type of assist device has been proposed, which reduces the operating force required by workers to install a large modular component on a vehicle body. This new device was named “Skill-Assist” . Skill-Assist contains two electric actuators to meet horizontal operating force requirements. Actuator control emphasizes improved subjective operational feel, so that operators can manipulate Skill-Assist intuitively, making optimal use of the skills they have acquired through their work experience. Before Skill-Assist was actually applied to a cockpit module installation process, the risk-assessment protocol established in Europe was adopted to ensure the operator's safety which is essential for an assist device to work interactively with human operators in a shared workspace. Actual application has confirmed that Skill-Assist is effective not only in reducing the physical workload on human workers and installation work time requirements, but also in improving the subjective operational feel and utilizing workers' acquired skills. Further, Skill-Assists have not brought any hazardous situation due to the safety measures taken.