Jaguar Land Rover has developed a 3D printed glove to protect employees. Image credit: Jaguar Land Rover
British automaker Jaguar Land Rover is promoting workplace safety and innovation with the development of a 3D printed glove meant to protect employees.
Leveraging the automaker's own 3D printing facilities, Jaguar Land Rover engineers have designed a protective glove for people working on the production line. Not only does this effort help protect Jaguar Land Rover's workers, but it is also another example of how the automaker uses its innovative technology to support everyday people.
Production protection
Engineers at Jaguar Land Rover faced the challenge of creating gloves that could prevent muscle fatigue while remaining comfortable and flexible enough for production line workers to use long-term.
Musculoskeletal disorders, encompassing more than 100 different conditions, are costly for both workplaces and employees.
The 3D printed glove has a lattice structure. Image credit: Jaguar Land Rover
These disorders account for 30 percent of workplace injuries requiring time off and a third of workplace compensation payments. Musculoskeletal disorders affect about 10 percent of the global population, including as many as four in 10 workers in certain industries, including automotive.
As a solution, engineers have created a 3D-printed lattice-style glove. It includes a foam pad that is meant to absorb impacts, while remaining wearable for workers hand-fitting parts for Jaguar and Land Rovers vehicles.
“The health and wellbeing of our workforce remains our priority across all factories and facilities,” said Chris Noble, additive manufacturing strategic engineer for Jaguar Land Rover, in a statement. “Technologies like the 3D-printed glove allow us to use the world-leading expertise and equipment we have in-house to protect the hands of our makers, developing equipment that will make Jaguar Land Rover a great place to work, now and in the future.”
Jaguar Land Rover has often used technology to improve experiences for drivers or employees.
The automaker is aiming to make car travel more comfortable for passengers by rolling out technology that personalizes cabin and driving settings to prevent motion sickness.
Following research, Jaguar Land Rover has developed an algorithm that can assess a rider’s wellness and adjust accordingly to reduce nausea. A number of the company’s vehicles are already outfitted with solutions to combat motion sickness, but this first phase of research will lead to further innovations in Jaguar Land Rover cars (see story).