Including ergonomic principles in the design and management of reconfigurable manufacturing systems

In recent years, the adoption of reconfigurable systems represents a primary strategy to improving flexibility, elasticity and efficiency in both manufacturing and assembly. Despite their automation level, such systems still require actions by human operators, e.g. assembly/disassembly auxiliary custom modules. These operations rise safety and ergonomic issues because of the human–machine interaction and cooperation. This paper follows this stream introducing a mathematical model for the design of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs) requiring manual workers to perform repetitive tasks. The aim is to support the design of efficient and sustainable RMSs aiming at reducing the overall time required for parts, and auxiliary modules travel among the available machines and the time needed for the assembly and disassembly auxiliary module operations, improving the workers’ occupational health and safety. Given the characteristics of the reconfigurable machines, the assembly/disassembly auxiliary modules and the required manufacturing process, the model defines the best assignment of the auxiliary modules to the reconfigurable machines and the part flows. Each solution ensures an acceptable risk level for repetitive movements, as required by regulations on occupational health and safety.