Overview
A leading medical device manufacturer faced mounting pressure to elevate production output on an existing product line without a costly revamp of its fully manual assembly process. Scrap rates were painfully high, and the fixed-height benches in place did not allow for worker height variance. The company partnered with OTC Industrial Technologies to design an ergonomic, modular workstation that delivered fast, measurable returns.
- Customer: Medical Device Manufacturer
- Relationship with OTC: 10+ years
Challenges
- Low Throughput & High Scrap – Manual assembly steps limited daily output and contributed to excessive rework and waste.
- Ergonomic Constraints – Fixed work surfaces forced shorter operators to inefficiently reach for parts, increasing fatigue and slowing cycle times.
- Difficult to Automate –Due to product geometry and task variability, full automation wasn’t practical, making it essential to optimize the manual workflow.
Solution
OTC’s engineering team collaborated closely with the customer to create a lean, operator-friendly workstation built around Bosch Rexroth Manual Production System (MPS) components. OTC’s build included these key elements:
- Height-Adjustable Frames – Quick-lift columns allow each operator to set the ideal working height in seconds, minimizing ergonomic strain.
- Integrated Belt Conveyor – A low-profile conveyor shuttles pallets smoothly between stations, eliminating unnecessary walking and lifting.
- Modular System – Easy modifications allowed changes or additions to be made to the workstations, letting the customer rearrange or expand as needed.
The OTC team provided on-site training so maintenance staff could reconfigure shelves, add new fixtures, or extend the line as demand grows.
Results
By focusing on lean workstation design instead of full automation, OTC delivered a cost-effective path to greater productivity, quality, and worker satisfaction. With this newly implemented design, we saw:
- 25-30% increase in throughput with reduced scrap waste
- Improved accessibility for workers, reducing strain and speeding up process time
- Workstations can be easily modified or expanded as production needs evolve
- Modularity of system increases flexibility and allows for future line expansion
Ergonomics and modularity can unlock big gains on even the most challenging manual lines. Talk to OTC today to see how we can provide value-add solutions to improve your operations.