UMN x Toyota

Overview of Study: Assist Toyota in updating their ergonomic standards by creating a targeted database of Toyota’s occupational workers.

  • 336 targeted participants were recruited from 2 facilities to participate in surveys and 3D data collection.

Years I Participated: 2022-2024

Impacts:

  • Reduced Data Collection Time

    • 7 – 10 mins per participant (Toyota) vs 20 – 23 mins per participant (original test prior to study)

  • Diverse Participants

    • Goals met for gender, race, and diversity of work experience within the sample

  • Improvement of data

    • Protocols created to improve data

Occupational workers hand dimensions in common work positions:

Due to the minimal availability of data to create ergonomic standards specifically for the hand, workspaces within manufacturing does not always fit the working hand. Certain populations have been overlooked in the data that is available, which causes even more issues. These factors can cause injuries to workers who are accommodating to the space that they are working in because it wasn’t built with them in mind.

Focus

Problems to Solve:

1

Create a research process that accommodated for the needs of the key stakeholders.

2

Create data collection procedures from scratch for 3D measurements, including Standard Operating Procedures and trainings.

3

Conduct analysis of large set database and synthesize information into actionable results.

Research Approach: Mixed Methods Research

My role: Team Leader

  • Data Collection Sessions: 6 sessions; 6-7 hours per session = 36 – 42 hours

  • Estimated Time-per-Participant: 7-10 mins per participant

  • Recruited: 336 targeted participants

  • Data Collected: Survey and 3D data collection

  • 1344 scans (4 positions per worker)

Pilot Testing at UMN.

Start-to-Finish Process:

Procedure Development:

A research procedure was created to improve the data captured and decrease the participant time compared to previous studies.

Stakeholders had specific needs for data collection, including data captured and time allotted per participants.

Site Visit:

A site visit took place at a Toyota’s Manufacturing Facility, in order to observe how work was occurring within targeted areas.

Toyota Training:

Training took place with key stakeholders from Toyota to assist with the data collection procedures.

A pilot study was conducted to assess the research procedures.

Data Collection:

Data was collected in 2 different facilities for 3 days at each facility.

Specific goals were made for gender, race, and diversity of work experience within the sample.

13 researchers were trained to take part in the data collection process.

336 targeted participants were recruited from the 2 locations.

Standard Operating Procedures were created for the collection of measurements needed from the 3D captures.

4 researchers were trained to assist with collection of measurement specific data.

Data Analysis:

Survey results and measurements were analyzed using R and Excel.

Final: +36,000 data points in R and +5,000 data points in Excel from Qualtrics survey.

Synthesize the Findings:

Created a 289-page final report, which included data and references to assist with updated ergonomic assessment.

Presented findings in an open meeting to key stakeholders and employees from Toyota.

Above: Data Collection Procedure