Miko Productivity Group

UAW-FORD Ergonomics Co-Chair Bob Harvey, with Rhea Smith and Sally Davis -August 2007

From Bob Harvey, Ergonomics Co-Chair and Coordinator, UAW-Local 387, Ford Motor Company, Woodhaven Stamping Plant: " We took this class because our suppliers use the Modapts program to verify a specific cycle time while completing a task. In taking this class, it enables us to better understand how our suppliers calculate our operator cycle time studies. We are now able to aid our suppliers in reviewing their Modapts studies and make suggestions for improvements. Some suggestions for improvement include ergonomic issues such as extended reaching, excessive bending and walking. Our team was apprehensive about taking this Modapts training class as it seemed very condensed and complex to our team and we were concerned about the outcome of said training. We would like to thank our instructor, George Miko, who put our minds to ease as he took us through the entire learning process, in which we all received certification in the use of the Modapts system".

(L) Jim Irey-UAW JSP/Sourcing (R) Michael Lewis UAW Ergonomics Ford Woodhaven Stamping Plant 2009

Missing from the above picture is Michael Woolman UAW Health & Safety Representative

Good Will Industries, JVS, Clermont County, Arc of Monroe County, FAYCO, Texas Panhandle Mental Health and

Mental Retardation, Bona Vista, ABG Fulfillment, CDC, Freedom Works, Abilities Services, Inc. (ASI)

Options of Linn County, Weaver Industries, Johnson County Developmental Support, Hugh Sandefur Industries,

Logan Industries, St. Joseph Community Co-op and RISE (Rehabilitation & Industrial Services Enterprise)

Ford Motor Company (USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Europe), Intel, Oakwood Group, Clearr Industries,

Detroit Chassis LLC, Collins & Aikman , Johnson Controls (USA, Canada & Mexico), LandRover (England),

Bridgewater Interiors, Sonopress, Lenawee Stamping, Mazda, Hyundai, CKGP, Axiem, Enviromental Technologies Inc.,

Sandalwood, Tri-Tec, Johnson Corporation, York Industries, Evcon Industries, UAW/CAW, Research Products Corporation,

DNP Electronics, Anchor Fabrication, Setex Inc., FPS-NATA, Gonzalez Production Systems, Factory Planning,

ACH LLC, DKG Consulting Inc., Dakkota Integrated Systems, CaseNewHolland (CNH Industries), David's Bridal,

Productivity Engineering Services, Asurion Insurance Services, Midway Products, Rockwell Automation, Van-Rob and

There efforts were put to the test during November 2006 at the Ford Motor Company assembly plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico. The class consisted of (9) engineers and one Union representative from the plant. To further ensure are training success with the revised Spanish manual, I had a translator that I had previously worked with on another Modapts project in Hermosillo, Mexico. His assistance was very important in furthering the accuracy of the manual and our work on the assembly plant floor. Upon completing the classroom training we then took the class into the assembly plant to further there knowledge in applying Modapts codes to actual operator workloads. So the language barrier is no longer an issue when you apply Modapts to develop work standards---everyone is using a common language to understand work.

Modapts goes to College

Dr. Thomas Armstrong, a professor at the School of Engineering at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor campus, teaches IOE 463, a class in Measurement and Design of Work. The purpose of this course is to provide his students with basic skills for describing, analyzing and designing jobs. They use the human-machine concept to talk about how people interact with equipment and materials in the workplace. The basic work methods analysis is described as a tool for identification of value added and not value added work and about evaluation of ergonomic stresses that may adversely affect work quality, work comfort and health. This leads to discussion of ways to measure work times and discussion of time study, standard data and pre-determined time systems. Dr. Armstrong first introduces the class to MTM and then follows this with lectures on MOST and MODAPTS. MTM provides a good basic understanding of the pre-determined time concepts. This introduction has been followed up by actual field trips which is where he was exposed to actual MODAPTS applications being implemented at Ford Motor Company and Johnson Controls (JCI). Presently, MOST has been a part of his classroom teaching coupled with Dr. Terri Lynch-Caris, a professor at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. However, Dr. Armstrong has quoted that " he is seriously considering dropping MOST due to the fact that MODAPTS compliments our field trips". He feels also that one of the impediments to adopting MODAPTS is the lack of published documentation. In an effort to minimize this gap, Mr. George Miko, a Division Industrial Engineering Supervisor at Ford Motor Company and a MODAPTS Training Consultant & Instructor, voluntarily conducted MODAPTS classes at the University of Michigan in the 2006 Spring and Fall semesters. Mr. Miko intends to expand the students understanding of the implementation of MODAPTS by including case study projects to be conducted by the students in the 2007 winter semester. Mr. Miko hopes that these case studies might address the need for published documentation for Universities as well as companies adoption of MODAPTS above all other work standard methods.

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