Citation

Plummer RW, Gochenour DL, Toothman AL. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 1975; 19(3): 354-358.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/154193127501900315

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This investigation evaluated the performance of six experienced inspectors of automobile headlamps. The study was conducted in the normal manufacturing environment by supplying the regular final inspection position with a controlled sample of headlamps.
Two inspectors were selected from each of the three shifts. The inspectors independently inspected each sample lot. The independent variables of the experiment were sample defect levels (three levels), percent of shift completed (four levels), shift (three levels) and inspectors (six levels). Three sample lots of 100 lamps were developed for defect levels of 0%, 10%, and 20%. The tests were conducted after 20% of the inspector's shift had expired, then after 40%, 60%, and 80%. This was done to monitor inspector performance which was measured in terms of incorrectly rejected or accepted lamps to determine if fatigue or boredom effects were critical.
The most striking result of the study showed that 72 percent of the lamps the inspectors rejected were good. This resulted from a combination of insufficient training, vague standards and inspector overloading.

Language: en