Tool Belt for Pro Users: Development of an Ergonomic and Robust Tool Belt for Professional Forestry Workers
2015 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (professional degree), 20 credits / 30 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
This report covers the entire development process for a new ergonomic and robust tool belt for Husqvarna Group. The objective of this project was to develop a new tool belt concept and produce five belts to be tested in the field by the target group of the belt: the professional forestry workers. The work consisted of identifying what makes the belt ergonomic for the application and a materials selection process. To produce a belt that visually advocates the Husqvarna brand a collaboration with the Husqvarna brand manager was essential. The information that the development of the belt been based upon was by studying the environment and how the product is used by professional forestry workers. This has been carried out through interviews, literature studies, observations and importantly that the responsible of this project has experienced the environment and also performed the forestry work that the belt is used for. The actual shape of the belt has partly been developed through a series of usability tests, where a group of civilians and users of forestry belts got to try out and evaluate competitors' belts, where both forestry and carpenter's belts been included. Similarly this group also evaluated prototypes based solely on the shape of these belts, all made out of the same material. Finally professional forestry worker got to evaluated prototypes of six different concepts. The most ergonomic shape was developed partly based on the collected information, the shape of the two belts that got the best results in usability testing’s and on human anatomy and physiology. Interviews and meetings with manufacturers and suppliers was conducted to obtain knowledge about materials such as textiles, foams, plastics, and webbings. The most suitable material for the belt were selected accordingly to the requirement list.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2015. , p. 58
Keywords [en]
Technology, Product development, Ergonomics, Tool belt, Forestry work
Keywords [sv]
Teknik, Produktutveckling, ergonomi, verktygsbälte, skogsarbete
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-45493Local ID: 33001696-c9bf-4edc-a2a5-6d84b25aef62OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-45493DiVA, id: diva2:1018785
External cooperation
Subject / course
Student thesis, at least 30 credits
Educational program
Ergonomic Design & Production Engineering, master's level
Supervisors
Examiners
Note
Validerat; 20150714 (global_studentproject_submitter)
2016-10-042016-10-04Bibliographically approved