Component Functionality P12711: Parbake Mezzanine Team Members Clement Pin ME Matthew Lynch EE Samantha Phillips ME Simon Stam ME Stefan Colegrove EE Graham Frasch ME Problem Statement: At the Wegmans manufacturing facility, the process in the parbake area has been determined to be an ergonomically challenging job for the workers. Currently, two workers collect the bread, count it, then fill the empty boxes. The empty boxes are brought by conveyor and full boxes are taken away by another conveyor. Our goal is to improve the ergonomically difficult tasks of lifting, bending, and twisting in the area. The design should maintain current production rate. Objectives/Scope: 1. Improve the ergonomic risks of this process, and make the job ergonomically safer. 2. Ensure the current production rate is not delayed. 3. Ensure safety of the user and the system meets all food and health regulations. Type Of Bread Average Case/Hr Volume Percentage Baguette 130 14.3% Loaf 184 49.8% Rolls 151 12.4% Round 216 23.5% Guides Counter Box Coaster Functional and System Overview: The overall system is a compilation of many different subsystems. This system was designed to improve the ergonomics through the addition of elements of automation along with modifications to the current operator positioning and work content. Box Coaster: Used to move the box from the upper conveyor to the filling station without requiring that the operator reach too far. Guides: Used to align the bread and sort it into countable rows so that the counter and sorter can further sort the bread into the staging areas. Counter and Sorter: Allows the bread to be counted and accurately sorted into predetermined shipping quantities which accumulate in each staging area. Gates: Stops the constant flow of bread into the boxing area keeping the bread in the presorted quantities. The bread waits in the staging area until the operator filling the boxes is ready with an empty box. The gate is then lowered allowing exactly one box worth of bread through to the operator. Bread Flow Bread gets sorted into single file lanes Once the correct amount of bread is counted, the bread is directed to the other lane Lets the bread through one lane at a time. Operator orients the bread then sends full box on way Bread is kept in single file Bread is counted Bread slides down into the box Brings empty box to waist height Testing and Analysis: Once the basic system was designed and some components were built, the system was tested on live product. The major focus of the initial testing revolved mostly around guiding and aligning the bread in order to allow the counter to accurately count, thus allowing the sorting system to reliably fill the lanes accurately. After a few testing operations and meetings with Wegmans’ staff, improvements were made upon the system which allowed it to more effectively meet the needs and specifications described. Component Functionality Product Guides Counter Sorter Rolls Medium Very Good Good Rounds Loaf Baguettes Poor Testing Days Testing Hours 10/18/2011 1.5 10/30/2011 5 12/3/2011 2.5 12/4/2011 3 12/11/2011 2 1/13/2012 1/20/2012 1/27/2012 4 1/29/2012 1/31/2012 2/5/2012 2/12/2012 2/16/2012 Total Days: 12 Total Hours: 37 Man Hours: 185 Special Thanks To: John Kaemmerlen, Faculty Advisor Mike Least, Project Director Jamie Rothfuss Dennis McGovern Rick Norder Dean Wight