Skill-Assist: assisting device helping human workers in automobile modular component assembly

In the social context of an aging workforce in automobile final assembly processes, modular assembly systems have become a dominant trend to reduce the workers' physical workload. Although a modular assembly system provides various benefits, modularized components are heavier and larger than their preassembled parts. As a result, tasks of installing modular components have become increasingly more difficult and laborious for the workers. Though automated assembly processes have been introduced in some cases, systems with such processes are ineffective because they are not flexible enough to allow manufacturer to respond to rapidly changing demands. In an effort to solve the problem, we have developed a new type of human assisting device not only to meet workers' requirement for reducing their physical workload but also to retain production flexibility.