Using Poka-yoke methods to improve employment potential of intellectually disabled workers

Abstract

In this project an electronic manufacturing process, namely ribbon cable assembly, was adapted for execution by intellectually disabled individuals. To make the work accessible to them, human error was controlled by a Poka-yoke approach. The design of the work process used industry standard tooling. Mistake-proofing design identified possible errors, and introduced mechanisms and tests that enabled the worker to avoid them. Test results were analysed using learning theory. It is concluded that intellectually disabled individuals can be enabled to perform the task within normal variation compared with a minimum task time, by using the Poka-yoke approach. Selection, however, is desirable.