Dynamic Blade. Design Awards & Ergonomic Assessments

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1 Dynamic Blade Design Awards & Ergonomic Assessments

2 ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT 1 ADJUSTABILITY The best, top notch! It is modular and has two clear adjustments: one vertical in the front and another vertical next to the attachment point (clamp). Horizontal adjustment is also possible by moving the monitor arm side to side. In addition, you can easily change the location of the monitor by removing and reattaching the clamp. Also, you can make the monitor horizontal or tilt it vertical. In addition, I love how all the parts can connect to accommodate a dual monitor arm or a laptop stand. 10 on a scale of 0-10, 10 being the best. STABILITY Sturdy and Stable design that keeps the monitor straight and even. HUMAN FACTORS For the adjustability, it was not completely clear without the instruction manual that the monitor slides down in front and there is another adjustment in the back. 7 on a scale of USES Works with a variety of applications and various sized monitors. I used a standard 24 flat panel monitor with a docking station for my laptop and it worked great. SET-UP INSTALLATION Easy to install and took approximately 30 minutes. Easily attached to a 24 flat panel monitor once the base was removed. No need for a professional installer, which is a bonus! 10 on a scale of DESIGN/LOOK Clean, smooth and modern. 10 on a scale of 0-10.

3 SET-UP INSTALLATION Easy to install and took approximately 30 minutes. Easily attached to a 24 flat panel monitor once the base was removed. No need for a professional installer, which is a bonus! 10 on a scale of MAINTENANCE Low maintenance needs because there are no springs or gas mechanisms. COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS 10 on a scale of 0-10 compared to Humanscale, Workrite, Chief, SpaceCo, Knoll, Ergotron, Details Steelcase based on Set-up, Adjustability, Maintenance and Design. CEO, Ergolution

4 ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT 2 INTRODUCTION Under the requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992)/ Health and Safety Amendment Act (2002), it is the responsibility of employers to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for their employees. This requirement extends to the provision of suitable equipment and furniture. As a significant manufacturer and supplier of office equipment in New Zealand and Australia, Modtec Industries Ltd is looking to extend its product range with the inclusion of the Integ range of adjustable height LCD VDU monitor arms. The monitor arm range is manufactured in New Zealand by Modtec Industries Ltd, 20 Curley Avenue, Silverdale, Auckland. It is useful to note that in the past eighteen years Professor Cunniffe has ergonomically evaluated the workstations of some 6,000 computer operators. THE EVALUATION PROCESS There are two main ways in which products are tested, namely mechanical and human factors testing. Mechanical factors testing is concerned with the mechanical performance and durability of the product, while human factors testing evaluates the match between the product and the user. Human factors testing has two main components: user trials, and ergonomic evaluation. User trials involve the monitoring of product performance under controlled circumstances. Ergonomic evaluations make a comparison of the product s characteristics with those of its intended users. The process of ergonomically evaluating a product is a systematic exercise in which the design provisions of the item and its materials of construction are assessed and related to recognised ergonomic criteria and practice. CHARACTERISTICS OF MONITOR ARMS Well designed and constructed monitor arms have a number of advantages over free standing platform type monitor stands. Included in these advantages are: maximisation of desktop space, easy re~positioning of monitor, and, depending on design, an ability to accommodated two monitors.

5 CHARACTERISTICS OF INTEG BLADE HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE LCD VDU MONITOR ARM The Integ Blade height adjustable LCD VDU monitor arm resulted from the creation in June 201 l of a design brief produced by Mr Oliver McDermott, Managing Director, Blender Design Ltd, 7/7 Dallan Place, Rosedale, Albany, Auckland The Integ Blade height adjustable LCD VDU monitor arm has a single monitor capacity. The monitor arm is made up of a number of components. The main ones are a desk clamp and column, two hinged linkages and a sprung loaded and height adjustable LCD VDU monitor mount. The components are made of various materials, with the main one being an aluminium alloy used for the desk clamp column, two hinged linkages and the LCD VDU monitor mounting plate. In addition to the sprung loaded height adjustable LCD VDU monitor mount, the desk clamp column also offers a height adjustment facility. Column height adjustment is controlled by a hand operated clamp. The method of connection between the monitor arm and a supported LCD VDU monitor is by a cast aluminium alloy plate and four threaded screws. The pitch of the four threaded screws relative to the aluminium plate can be either 1oomm or 75mm depending on the plate s match with the corresponding monitor tapped holes. The height adjustment range of the sprung loaded height adjustable LCD VDU monitor mount is 175mm while that of the desk clamp column is 13omm. The total range of height adjustment of the monitor mount (positioned Vertically) measured from its centre to the desktop is from a minimum of 14omm to a maximum of 4oomm. The monitor mount is connected to the two hinged linkages by a cast aluminium alloy joint. The joint allows the monitor mount to swivel in the both horizontal and vertical planes. The range of adjustment is well in excess of any operator requirement. Connecting the LCD VDU monitor mount to the Vertical height adjustable desk mounted column is an arm comprising two aluminium linkages and three joints. These joints allow the LCD monitor to be moved in an arc about the Vertical pedestal and at varying distances from it. The arm transmits the weight of the monitor (average weight of an LCD VDU monitor is 3.5kg) to the height adjustable vertical column. Weight retention tests carried out by Mr Ruben Taganahan, Modtec Industries Ltd in July 2012 on the sprung loaded height adjustable LCD VDU monitor mount show that for applied weights of up to 6.5kg there is no Vertical displacement. At an applied weight of 6.5kg there is no perceived deflection of the fully extended monitor arm.

6 SPECIFICATIONS OF INTEG BLADE MONITOR ARM The total range of height adjustment of the LCD VDU monitor mounting plate (positioned vertically) measured from its centre to the desktop is from: 140mm min to 400mm maximum Maximum extension of jointed arm measured from centre of height adjustable vertical column to front face of monitor mounting plate: 460mm Angle of adjustment of the front face of the LCD VDU monitor mounting plate: A rearward arc of 1 50 degrees measured from a forward angle of 45 degrees relative to the horizontal. Maximum desktop thickness that can be accommodated by monitor arm desk clamp: 60mm Correlation with salient ergonomic information The normal seated eye line height of a 2.5 percentile female is 1059mm measured from floor level. The normal seated eye line height of a 97.5 percentile male is 1331mm measure from floor level. The difference between these two heights is 273mm. In normal circumstances the mid-line height of a LCD VDU monitor should be approximately 100mm lower that the operator s normal seated eye line height at a viewing distance of 650mm. Attached to a standard 710mm height desk, the lowest mid-line height LCD VDU monitor attached to the Integ Blade monitor arm would be determined by the overall height of the monitor. The highest mid-line monitor height achievable by the Integ Blade monitor arm is mm. Providing below average height operators were provided with a suitably height adjustable chair and footrest, the height adjustment range of he Integ Blade monitor arm would ensure a comfortable operator head posture. For standing operators a height adjustable desk would be required to ensure the required LCD VDU monitor mid-line heights.

7 CONCLUSION The Integ Blade model LCD VDU adjustable height monitor arm is an attractive and functional product whose main strengths lie in its range of adjustment and the robustness of its construction. Both of these characteristics are essential in the design and use of a monitor arm. In terms of adjustment, a height adjustable monitor arm must accommodate for operators of different heights. In addition the range of monitor arm height adjustment must allow the operator to work comfortably both sitting and standing, given that the latter workstation is height adjustable or fixed at a suitable height. Of significant importance in the operation of a height adjustable monitor arm is the ease with which the height of the monitor arm can be adjusted. Where this consideration is lacking operators, and in particular female ones, have great difficulty in adjusting the height of the monitor arm given that the weight of the attached LCD VDU works against them. The sprung loaded height adjustable LCD VDU monitor mount of the Integ Blade height adjustable monitor arm is an attractive feature that effectively addresses this problem. Additional height adjustment is through the release of a hand operated clamp that allows the linkages of the monitor arm to be adjusted vertically on a column attached to the desk clamp. While the hand operated clamp is easy to release the weight of the LCD VDU monitor and its attached arm must be supported by the operator. Petite female operators will probably require assistance with this activity. However, given the range of adjustment of the sprung loaded height adjustable LCD VDU monitor mount of the Integ Blade, the need to regularly make column adjustment of the monitor arm is seen as rare. A very attractive characteristic of the Integ Blade height adjustable monitor arm is its robustness. This strength not only allows the attached monitor to be positioned accurately but ensures smooth and secure movement of the arm in all its controlled directions. The lnteg Blade height adjustable monitor arm is a well thought out product that has been mechanically tested. The arm is well finished and thoughtfully equipped with cable control retaining clips. Possibly the only further requirement for the monitor arm would be structured user trials.

8 DESIGN AWARDS