The Integration of Ergonomics and Operational Efficiency in Jig and Fixture Design: A Manufacturing Framework

Oladapo Babafemi Fakiyesi¹, Charles Chikwendu Okpala²

¹ Lecturer, Industrial/Production Engineering Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.

² Professor, Industrial/Production Engineering Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.  

Abstract

Jigs and fixtures are essential elements of manufacturing systems that directly influence dimensional accuracy, productivity, and quality stability. However, conventional jig and fixture design practices remain largely geometry-driven, with limited consideration for human factors and sustainability outcomes. This study proposes a data-driven manufacturing framework that systematically integrates ergonomic risk assessment, operational efficiency analytics, and sustainability performance metrics into jig and fixture design. With the application of digital human modeling, sensor-based motion data, and production time-series analysis, ergonomic risk, setup performance, and process-level energy consumption are simultaneously quantified and optimized. The framework is empirically validated across three industrial manufacturing contexts – automotive subassembly, CNC machining, and metal fabrication – and covers more than 360 production cycles. Results show average reductions of 23–25% in ergonomic risk scores, 15–19% in setup time, 12–16% in energy consumption per unit output, and 8–11% in material waste, achieved without modifications to machine hardware. Statistical analysis confirms a strong inverse relationship between ergonomic risk and operational performance, which demonstrates that human-centered tooling design acts as a system-level efficiency and sustainability enabler rather than a trade-off. The findings reposition jig and fixture design as a strategic lever for sustainable manufacturing, and offer a scalable methodology that is aligned with Industry 4.0 and human-centered production paradigms.      

Keywords: Ergonomics, Jig and fixture design, Operational efficiency, Sustainable manufacturing, Human-centered design, Industry 4.0, Data-driven optimization 

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