February 2024 Volume 6

FORGING RESEARCH

For the remaining questions, where the respondents were asked to answer on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree), Fig. 4 below shows the results for all questions (shown below): 1. I have to manipulate the tools to adapt to the work I am doing. 2. The tools are not in the way of completing my task. 3. When I am working, I complete my task at the correct work height for me.

4. My workspace is bright and/or clean enough for me to adequately complete my task. 5. I feel safe in the work environment. 6. All safety protocols are described clearly.

Fig. 4: Box plots for each question asked on page 4 of the survey. A “6” response meant the respondent strongly agrees with the statement, with a “1” representing a strong disagreement. For all box plots, n = 18.

2. Data Collection We collected data on one participant that was grinding, with a total of four sensors on his left and right biceps and forearms. He worked with both a lighter, smaller grinding wheel and a bigger, heavier one, allowing us to see comparisons between the two.

Comparing the right and left bicep when using the bigger/heavier grinding wheel, we can see that the dominant side (right side, blue) underwent a much higher acceleration than the nondominant (left, orange). His right bicep experienced much more vibration as he worked with the tool, as shown in Fig. 5 .

Fig. 5: Acceleration in the x, y, and z axes for the right (blue) and left (orange) biceps recorded with IMUs over a 35 second time span as the worker used a large grinding wheel. The right bicep experienced much stronger vibrations from the work. n = 1.

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2024 82