1. 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