The objective
of this project is to develop an ergonomic package handling system to assist in
two particular tasks. These tasks are currently being carried out by factory
workers, and Shaw Industries, Inc. would like to eliminate the potential for on
the job injuries by instituting some type of improved lifting and doffing
mechanisms on their yarn winding machines. The first task is to lift the
texturized yarn packages to a more operator friendly height when doffing the
yarn from the Spin Draw/ Texuring (SDT) and Draw Texturing winders. There are
currently lifting pans in use that achieve a maximum height of two feet, which
is unacceptable to the company. The second task is to lift the heavier undrawn
yarn packages from the Extruder winders to a similar operator friendly height
after the yarn is doffed from these machines.