2008 Honda Auto Assembly Line Super Seat
With eight North American auto assembly lines at six plant sites, Honda produces 16 distinct Honda and Acura models for more than 1.3 million automobiles every year. That’s a lot of manpower on assembly lines… so Honda has a dedicated team working to develop better ergonomics for the health and well-being of it’s line associates. That work has lead to development of the “Super Seat,” which is designed to make some line tasks more ergonomic. Honda’s manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Alabama opened in November 2001 and is now the sole global source for Honda Odyssey mini-vans and pilot sport utility vehicles. The plant is now using the Super Seat to aid in associates installation of the rear seat belt retaining bolts, a difficult task made easier on the human body with this mechanical aid. The associate in the Super Seat moves the seat into the body cavity of the vehicle. The large orange platform moves with the seat and is synchronized with the speed of the assembly line. At this point, the associate controls lateral movement into the vehicle by simply “walking” on their heels… and when the blots are in place, swings the mechanical arm of the seat back out of the vehicle and its on to the next one. In addition to the rear seat belt installation, many more processes are being evaluated which could make even further use of the seat and help ease the strain on associate bodies.
