Human Errors Analysis in an Aircraft Engine Assembly Center

Human operators show significant variability in performance when operating in complex manufacturing systems that are usually referred to human errors. Such errors are identified as the failure to perform an action within the safe operating limit and often lead to product quality defects. Approximately 50%-80% of the incidents and accidents in safety-critical systems have been associated with human error.
Despite the recent technological advances in eliminating error in the manufacturing of aircraft engines, the engine assembly centers are heavily dependent on human interventions. Occasional human errors occur in these work centers due to different factors. The delivery of defect-free products to customers that also conform to regulatory requirements calls for a systematic approach for identifying, reporting, and managing human errors. This project aims to develop a robust human error assessment framework in order to identify: i) different categories of human errors; ii) root causes of errors; and ii) mitigation actions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Masoumeh Kazemi Zanjani

Student:

Artin Markousian

Partner:

Pratt & Whitney Canada

Discipline:

Aerospace studies

Sector:

Aerospace and defense

University:

Concordia University