Abstract

Rivetting is one of the noisiest operations in vehicle assembly. In recent years, engineers in industry and at the École Polytechnique de Montréal have developed a damping system (VACDAMP®) which reduces rivetting noise at its source. IRSST-funded research aimed at improving this system was very successful in reducing the noise exposure of riveters. However, further improvements are required to ensure that bucking-bar operators, located on the other side of the sheet metal from the riveter, also benefit from reduced noise exposure. This project, performed by a team at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and the École de technologie supérieure, will focus on reducing the noise exposure of bucking bar operators and riveters, and applying this system in other sectors.