Before the Destuff-it™ was implemented, it took three employees about two and a half hours to unload a truck of unpalletized products. With the Destuff-it™ machine, two employees could do the work in an hour and a half. Employees were thrilled with how easy the machine was to operate, while management was impressed by the efficiency. Within six months, the Destuff-it™ paid itself off and another was ordered.

For warehouses and distribution centers, Destuff-it™ portable ergonomic conveyors provide a safe and efficient solution for handling floor-stacked packages in shipping containers or related vessels.

With the Easy Arm® system, VDG operators were able to enjoy the benefits of automation without sacrificing precision.

BackgroundA seed company in Iowa had workers spending all day unloading palletized boxes onto a gravity conveyor. The conveyor moved each box to a staging area where workers would lift them individually onto a workbench for testing and repackaging if needed.The ProblemWith workers manually moving boxes onto and off the conveyor, the ergonomic drain on the company was significant. Each box weighed about 70 lbs, so workers were experiencing frequent back problems and fatigue throughout the day. Production was also slowed because manual lifting was time-consuming and unpredictable.The SolutionA Gorbel® Work Station Crane outfitted with a G-Force® Intelligent Lifting Device was installed. The Work Station Crane helped move the boxes ergonomically through all stages of processing, while the G-Force® provided workers with precise handling abilities. What previously took substantial physical strength could now be achieved with a slight touch of the hand. Workers were particularly grateful that this system was easy to use, with no complicated controls or unnecessary buttons – load sensors on the G-Force® took care of that.

Gorbel provides an ergonomic solution optimizing unloading activities for a large retail outfitter.

Gorbel provides an ergonomic solution increasing productivity and reducing turnover rates for a large retail outfitter.

Gorbel provides an ergonomic solution unloading liquor bottles for a large retail outfitter.

In this automotive industry application, Cynergy Ergonomics designed a system to assist operators in the handling of superchargers during manufacturing/assembly through the packaging phase with a single lift assist device. One system consists of a telescopic rigid mast manipulator using a Gorbel iQ GForce in a nested trolley configuration; this operates in a double aluminum bridge Gorbel free standing workstation crane system. Another iQ G-Force feature is programmable virtual travel limits. This feature is used in conjunction with tooling mounted proxy switches to activate/deactivate preset travel stop elevations, placing the tooling in the exact position needed for pick and place operation

A large muffler manufacturer had concerns about worker safety and fatigue during the assembly process of their exhaust assemblies. The company decided on several Easy Arms with slide handle controls and custom gripper end tooling. The new setup allows a single operator to move the exhaust assemblies all around the welding area effortlessly and quickly.

A boat engine manufacturer requested a custom system in which an industrial cart holding dunnage could be placed over a custom engineered hydraulic lift and tilt system. The current state required operators to decant at low ergo range levels which was causing strain on the operators backs. The new system in the attached picture enables the operator to decant at an appropriate ergo height due to the lift feature and also decant from the back of the dunnage without any reach strain as a result of the tilt feature. Two critical ergo stress points were alleviated as a result of the custom solution.

A large muffler manufacturer had concerns about worker safety and fatigue during the assembly process of their exhaust assemblies. The company decided on several Easy Arms with slide handle controls and custom gripper end tooling.

The client’s overall focus was to improve workplace ergonomics. The management team chose to take steps to implement proactive ergonomics. There was concern over the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Darcor’s twin wheel ergonomic casters was determined to be the best. It reduced push pull forces significantly and, most importantly, received tremendous positive feedback from operators.

At Woodward Inc. in Fort Collins, CO, a new facility was being built and equipped with Gorbel® Work Station Cranes, Jib Cranes and G-Forces throughout the plant. The G-Force® is being used in a multifaceted production area where there is a vast array of products that are produced and tested.

A customer wanted a multifaceted tuggable train cart system that required good positioning with a four-roller system, the luxury to rotate and minimize unneeded walking movement, and a good ergo positioning height for both the rollers and the second storage shelf. This system can be manually pushed with optimal push/pull forces, an operator can rotate and position material on the rollers with ease, and place and position material on the storage shelf at a good ergo height.

A customer required a towable train system for a work center where machined parts were added to plastic layers. A towable cart with a spring loaded self-leveling platform was designed to both maximize efficiency and make sure that the operators were adding the components to the plastic layers in a safe ergonomic zone. Specifically, the self-leveling system allowed each stack to lower automatically when completed by the operator. This allowed the operator to place the material at a safe and optimal height to maximize efficiency.

Over a two-year period, a national outdoor apparel retailer determined that 70% of its manufacturing lost-time claims were classified as work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Further, the company found that the claims were predominantly for injuries to the upper extremities and the back. The team partnered with BOSTONtec to address these issues applying basic principles of the ergonomic reach zones.