The RFad Method - A NON Invasive Fatigue Measurement Method Based on Ergonomics Evaluation Techniques

This paper presents a study about fatigue recovery time processes in industrial work activities. It came about due to a demand presented by a company in the automotive industry sector, in need of updating existing cycle time sheets and TAKT time parameters. The company decided to hire an Ergonomics Laboratory with ties to a major Brazilian University in order to evaluate current conditions and establish a new method to either calculate recovery times or validate existing criteria, based in the ergonomics evaluation of the work activities. The study was motivated by the acknowledgement of evident evolution that the entire industrial sector has gone through in the past two decades. It brought up fast modernization of industrial processes, not only in production but also in terms of management systems. Due to improved computer and robotics systems, combined with overall advancements, such as the use of lighter hand tools - or use of more effective hoist systems - most work activities have had its effort requirements reduced in the past decades. Thus, compensation factors built into production times needed to be reviewed in order to avoid unnecessary costs associated to them. By using ergonomics considerations, we prevent simply removing the physical aspect without taking on account, for example, additional cognitive load represented by the use of more sophisticated pieces of equipment.