Micropen Workstation Redesign

P16718

Agenda● Introduce Team

● Project Background

● Problem Statement and Project Deliverables

● Stakeholders

● Use Scenarios

● Customer Requirements

● Engineering Requirements

● Preliminary Project Plan

● Issues & Corrective Actions

Team Introduction & Roles

Team Member Role

Rachele Floeser Project Manager

Alexander Langkamp Project Manager

Sabrina Caliri Engineer/Facilitator

Nicholas Accuosti Engineer

Matt DePalo Engineer

Project BackgroundMicropen Technologies designs, develops, and manufactures high precision

resistors and medical devices.

Micropen Medical Specializes in the printing of

critical functional material, such as conductive electrodes,

for medical devices.

The Hemostasis Probe is an

Electrosurgical Device.

What is a Hemostasis Probe?● Alumina ceramic printed conductive electrode on non-flat, tubular probe with

gold filled cement conductive ink.

● Used for cardiac ablation, renal denervation or electro-cauterization (Localized

Heating).

● Micropen Medical offers their Hemostasis

Probe in two separate diameters

(0.091” & 0.130” OD).

Problem StatementMicropen Medical specializes in the printing of critical functional materials, such as conductive electrodes, on

medical devices. Hemostasis Probes are a product produced by Micropen Medical, which are made from alumina ceramic printed with a gold-filled cermet conductive ink. In the Hemostasis Probe Cell, the current manufacturing process requires operators to use a small tool to perform a touch-up procedure on the printed components to ensure conductivity. This procedure requires a high degree of precision and is performed in a repetitive pattern where the operator adopts a number of potentially harmful postures during the process; this presents several ergonomic risk factors for the operator.

The objective of this project is to design and develop an improved workstation that eliminates or at least reduces the ergonomic risk factors for the operator, while meeting all the visualization and mechanical motion demands of the manufacturing process. The expected end result will include all design documents for the new design, a working prototype, a time study of the current and new process, as well as a technical paper and poster presented at ImagineRIT. The new system design will pose no significant changes to the current printing instrument or critical dimensions/features on the system components.

Problem Statement & Project Deliverables

Current State

The manufacturing process requires operators to perform a “touch-up” procedure to ensure conductivity. This procedure requires a high degree of precision and is performed in a repetitive pattern where the operator executes a number of ergonomically harmful postures during the process; this presents several ergonomic risk factors for the operator.

Desired StateAn improved workstation that eliminates or at least reduces the ergonomic risk factors for the operator, while meeting all the visualization and mechanical motion demands of the manufacturing process.

Project Goals Analyze current manufacturing process to design and develop a workstation that reduces ergonomic issues for the operator.

Key Constraints The new system design will pose no significant changes to the current printing instrument or critical dimensions/features on the system components.

Ergonomic Issue

The core objective of our assignment:

Additional Project Deliverables● Design concepts and alternatives

● Functional Prototype

● Appropriate design, test, manufacturing and supply chain documentation to

support transition to a maintainable final product

● Test data verifying system operation is producing hemostasis probes within the

required specifications for quality and production.

● User’s guide for operation

○ Workstation adjustability to accommodate variations in operator size and both left and right

handed operators

StakeholdersMicropen - Potential injuries resulting in lawsuits from both customers as well as

operators in the manufacturing process.

Engineers - Design of the workstation

Operator - Injury from the labor required to operate the hemostasis probe

workstation

Customer - Injury of operator resulting in slowed production by Micropen

MSD Students - Responsible for process and product development

Use ScenariosCustomer orders Hemostasis Probes. Hemostasis Probes are made from alumina ceramic printed with gold

filled cermet conductive ink and come in two diameters. After printing, the manufacturing process requires

operators to use a microscope and a dental pick to perform a touch-up procedure on the printed

components. This touch-up procedure simultaneously ensures that the electrodes on the hemostasis probe

are properly connected while also allowing the operator to conduct a detailed visual inspection on the part.

The product is then packaged and shipped to the customer finalized)

Customer Requirements

Customer Rqmt. # Importance Description

CR1 9 Accommodates both CR100611-00 and CR110623-00 part diameters

CR2 9Allows “touch-up” procedure so the contact pads can be connected to the helix

CR3 9 Allows operator to visually confirm “touch up” procedure is complete

CR4 3 Modify workstation to accommodate a left handed operator

CR5 9Allows for workstation adjustability to accommodate variations in operator size

CR6 9 Reduce ergonomic issues for the operator

CR7 1 Improves upon or retains current cell throughput

CR8 1 Improves upon or retains current scrap rate

CR9 9 Maintains current printing system hardware

CR10 9 Maintains critical dimensions/features on the part

CR11 3 Utilizes space occupied by existing workstation

Engineering Requirements

House of Quality

Preliminary Project Plan

Potential RisksTechnical Risks ● Project Takes too long to complete

● Design/specs are unfeasible

Resource Risks ● Operator does not want to work with new design

● Team Dynamics become an issue

Safety Risks ● Ergonomic issues still continue

● Eye strain and/or fatigue

Social Risks ● Operators do not like the change of process/design

● Feedback from operators inconsistent

Environmental Risks ● Materials used form particulates

● Design does not minimize added static electricity

Questions?

Quantification of Ergonomic Engineering Requirements

A Body Discomfort Survey will be conducted

with the operators in which they will be able to

give a detailed description of both pain

location and severity by utilizing a chart

similar to the one shown. Surveys will be filled

out at the start of the shift, lunch time, and at

the end of shift for a span of time. This data

will allow the engineering team to put a

metric on many of the ergonomic issues.