Why should a Case Assembly Workstation bench stay under 750 mm deep?

Forward reach is 600 to 700 mm, so past 750 mm every pick needs a lean, and stored material drifts into the assembly face.

Does a bin really need a 15 degree tilt?

It solves two things at once: parts gather at the opening and the eyes stop looking down. Past 25 degrees they jam against the lip.

Do small air tools need suspension too?

Judge by frequency. Under three uses per case, flat is simpler; above twenty, the saved return time pays for the rail.

Is 1500 mm station pitch a fixed rule?

No. Two 620 mm cases plus 260 mm of clearance gives 1500 mm; an 800 mm case pushes it to 1800 mm.

Is 500 lux enough to see scratches?

For light shells yes, for black ones no. A scratch needs 700 lux plus side light, or its own 30 degree fill lamp.

Case Assembly Workstation: Material, Tool and Bench Positions

Quick answer: A Case Assembly Workstation is three positions, not one bench. Material sits 150 to 300 mm inside the front edge, tools hang at 1500 mm, and the bench runs at elbow height minus 100 mm.

Why a Case Assembly Workstation Splits into Three Positions
Where Material Goes: Reach Radius and Bin Angle
Where Tools Go: Suspension and Return Distance
Bench Height, Depth and Station Pitch
Floor and Lighting: The Fourth Element
FAQ

1. Why a Case Assembly Workstation Splits into Three Positions

A Case Assembly Workstation is not a table. Material decides where the hand reaches, tools where it returns, the bench how the case rests. Get one wrong and the operator compensates with the body while takt and yield fall together.

One test: with both feet planted, can the operator pick, assemble, return the tool and lift the case? A 620 × 460 × 230 mm unit covers 0.29 square metres, so the surface should reach 900 × 700 mm.

Element	Position	Key dimension	Test
Material	Front-left common zone	150 to 300 mm from edge	Reach, no turn
Tools	Rail above the bench	Hook at 1500 to 1600 mm	Return, no step
Bench	Station centre	Elbow height minus 100 mm	Forearm near level

2. Where Material Goes: Reach Radius and Bin Angle

Inside 300 mm is the common zone, 300 to 450 mm is reachable, and beyond that the operator leans. A screw bin touched hundreds of times a day belongs close; sit it in the reachable band and every hour gains dozens of steps.

At any Case Assembly Workstation, raise the front edge 15 degrees and parts collect at the opening where the hand already is, with a 20 mm lip so nothing slides out. Keep six part numbers open at most, size bins for 30 minutes, and put finished cases on the right.

Placement	Pick distance	Bench area	Fits
Flat on bench	250 to 350 mm	0.12 m2	Few part numbers
Tilted rack, 15 degrees	200 to 280 mm	None	Common parts
Floor hopper	400 to 500 mm	None	Heavy parts

3. Where Tools Go: Suspension and Return Distance

A 1.8 kg torque gun lying flat is lifted against the arm's full moment eight hundred times a day. On a spring balancer the weight is cancelled and the hand only supplies direction. Hang it at 1500 to 1600 mm, 100 mm forward of centre, socket resting 300 mm from the working point.

Long benches suit a rail and trolley: 1200 mm covers every point of one Case Assembly Workstation, so the tool never drags across a case face. Return time tells the story: 2.5 seconds flat, 1.2 on a balancer, 0.9 on a trolley. Across 20 picks and 280 cases, that gap is two hours.

4. Bench Height, Depth and Station Pitch

Bench height follows the elbow: standing 1000 to 1050 mm gives a surface at 900 to 950 mm, seated work at 720 to 760 mm. Too low and the shoulders slump; too high and body weight never reaches the tool.

A Case Assembly Workstation keeps depth at 600 to 750 mm, because anything past 750 mm is out of reach and material drifts forward into the case. Width is 1200 mm for one 620 mm unit, centres 1500 mm apart, aisle 900 mm.

Parameter	Standing	Seated	Note
Bench height	900 to 950 mm	720 to 760 mm	Elbow minus 100 mm
Bench depth	600 to 750 mm	600 mm	Past 750 mm unreachable
Station centres	1500 mm	1500 mm	300 mm buffer
Main aisle	900 mm	900 mm	Two-way carts

5. Floor and Lighting: The Fourth Element

The floor is a datum. Mark station centres on the green epoxy with 50 mm yellow lines, so a shifted Case Assembly Workstation shows at a glance; a 2 m straightedge should find no gap over 3 mm.

On a Case Assembly Workstation, lighting decides whether a scratch exists. Black shells absorb light and below 500 lux fine scratches disappear, so run 500 to 750 lux at 4000 to 5000 K, mount luminaires 300 mm forward of centre, and fit louvers to kill the reflected band.

Conclusion

Material close, tools hung, bench sized to the body: that is the whole layout. Spacing, marking and light only matter once those three are settled. Aim for an operator whose feet never move, and the Case Assembly Workstation becomes plannable capacity.

This article discusses only the container (case body) side of specifications and design intent, and does not cover any handling, loading or use of the contents.