Optimizing the functionality of a workstation can be difficult without well-chosen accessories that improve its usability. When a workstation in an electronics workshop is well planned and equipped, work becomes easier, smoother and more efficient. At the same time, the ergonomics of the workplace is improved and the tools are positioned in the right places.
The purpose of the workstation determines its basic requirements and accessories. The needs may vary depending on the person working at the workstation, however, it should be noted that there are no two identical employees. When the table, and even the entire workstation forming the environment is equipped and tailored to individual needs, each phase of the production or service process can be performed without delay, accurately and with maximum comfort.
In order to choose furniture for work in electronics, it is necessary to determine the type of activities performed, number of employees, types of tools and a number of other parameters. It is therefore necessary to design with a planned layout and selection of furniture. However, preparing a good design that takes into account current and future needs is not easy and requires professional knowledge and experience.
IS PLANNING NECESSARY?
To ensure high work ergonomics, planning of the layout of the production hall and selection of industrial furniture is essential.
It is not an easy task to prepare a good design that takes into account the current and future needs of a company, as it requires expertise and experience, especially in terms of expansion possibilities. Thinking about the future means that already at this stage many furniture suppliers are not able to meet expectations.
It is worthwhile to check suppliers’ references and ask for examples of completed projects in order to learn about the possibilities offered by the furniture solutions. It must be admitted that there are few companies that have the ability to prepare a comprehensive project for the customer and at the same time ensure its implementation.
You should also be aware that the planning also includes other systems such as electrical installation, lighting and even the connection of technical gases. The design of workstations and their delivery is also only a part of the complex solution and when it is included as part of the delivery task the customer will avoid unpleasant surprises and perhaps costly failures.
TAKE CARE OF FUNCTIONALITY
In order to meet the complex and diverse needs and constantly growing demands of operators, manufacturers focus their attention on selected market segments, becoming specialists offering solutions in a specific field. Already at the stage of selection of the base structure, it turns out how important it is to be aware of the customer’s needs and knowledge of the work table. An example of such possibilities is the REECO industrial furniture range, which includes anti-vibration tables and specialist and universal workstations for production and service, laboratory or workshop applications.
It is worth stopping here and mentioning that among the majority of imported ESD protection products available on the market, REECO is an European manufacturer not only of antistatic industrial furniture, but also of anti-electrostatic protective clothing, equipment for assembly and disassembly of components and soldering robots. For several years the brand has been successfully conquering foreign markets, among others by presenting its products at Productronica.
REECO furniture provides great flexibility due to its modular and well-thought-out design, allowing for easy modification or expansion of the workplace as the company’s needs grow.
This allows the manufacturer to change individual workstations into technological lines, retrofitting them with the most sophisticated accessories, as well as to change the organization of the workspace on their own – even many years after the first installation. This is a major advantage of this system, which is not equipped with any non-modular furniture.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
The base element of each workstation is the base structure. Among the offer of REECO furniture, the following types are available: Premium, Classic, Premium Electric and Mobile. All of them provide the capability of adjusting the height of the whole workstation within the range of 670-1120 mm.
An exception is the Mobile construction, where the height adjustment of the table top is achieved by means of multiple mounting points on a vertical frame. In the case of Premium Electric construction, the adjustment is provided by electrically controlled actuators, which allow to adjust the height of the top to the needs of the employee and the way of work. The feet of the Premium construction are made out of cast iron, which positively influences the stability of the whole table and its load.
All constructions meet the most restrictive requirements concerning ergonomics, load-bearing capacity and load and have a certificate confirming that they meet the requirements of PN-EN 13150:2004 and PN-EN 14727:2006 standards. An additional advantage is the possibility of combining Classic and Premium models into corner constructions.
The second important element is the worktop. In the electronic industry it is important that the construction of such a worktop provides antistatic protection (ESD). Among REECO worktops, we have two models to choose from: a typical rectangular worktop and an ergonomic worktop increasing the comfort of work. Both models have a conductive core. This increases antistatic safety, because the electrostatic charge is directly discharged through the structure to a grounded floor or ground point.
In addition, the edges of the tops are finished with scratch and impact resistant ABS material, which is important when working with heavier elements (mechanics, automation).
PERFORATED FRAME AND ACCESSORIES
Another part of the table is a perforated frame mounted at the back of the table. It enables further extension of the stand with additional elements such as: shelves, lighting, slat with containers for components, perforated panels for tools, rail for hanging screwdrivers on the balancer, shelves for tools, power strip, holder for monitor or for documents.
These accessories allow you to store your tools in the right place, making your work and environment more organized. High flexibility resulting from the use of modular design, allows not only to optimally select accessories, but also to change their position (mounting height) and angle of inclination. In practice, the possibilities are much wider, because we can choose accessories related to the transport of elements, subassemblies or devices to the whole working environment. These are cabinets with drawers on castors, modular carts, waste baskets, storage racks, workshop cabinets allowing for any configuration.
Another possibility to use a perforated frame is to equip the station with a rack, which provides any configuration of control and measurement devices. Such a solution is often used by laboratories, schools and universities, scientific institutes and R&D offices.
INDIVIDUAL ADVICE AND NEEDS
With a detailed comparison of the needs with the capabilities of products offered by specialized companies, it is certainly possible to combine a complete and modern stand allowing for effective, safe work for a long time. An excellent improvement in its design and configuration is the possibility to use the help of an experienced advisor, who, on the one hand, knows the specific needs related to the production and service of electronic devices, on the other hand, has full and up-to-date knowledge about the above mentioned groups of devices, systems and accessories. The manufacturer supplements the whole offer with free assembly of furniture at the customer’s place. Designing, configuring, assembling, commissioning and servicing the whole thing – this is what the user can expect and this is undoubtedly a convenient and effective solution.