WO2019206428A1

WO2019206428A1 - Mechanical skill assessment device and method for testing abilities of a machine operator

Info

Publication number: WO2019206428A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/060881
Authority: WO
Inventors: Denis POPOV
Original assignee: Jt International S.A.
Priority date: 2018-04-27
Filing date: 2018-04-27
Publication date: 2019-10-31

Abstract

A mechanical skill assessment device includes a plurality of mechanical block- advancing means for advancing a testing block along a predefined path, and a plurality of drive means configured to impart motion to the plurality of block- advancing means. The plurality of drive means include at least one adjustable motion conveying means for synchronising relative motion of the plurality of block-advancing means so as to advance the testing block along the predefined path.

Description

TITLE

MECHANICAL SKILL ASSESSMENT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TESTING ABILITIES OF A MACHINE OPERATOR

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an assessment device for training and testing mechanical skills of machine operators or technicians as well as a method for testing abilities and mechanical skills of machine operators or technicians.

BACKGROUND Complex machinery like manufacturing and processing machines in the tobacco industry, for example machines used for manufacturing, sorting, quality-checking and packaging tobacco products such as cigarettes, need skilled operators, mechanics and maintenance personnel. During education, training and pre employment assessments it would be desirable to be able to objectively, repeatably, predictably and comparably assess the natural mechanical skills of machine operators and maintenance workers as well as candidates for the position of a machine operator or a maintenance worker, not only theoretically and on paper, but rather hands-on in a practical training within a realistic environment. One prior art approach is the use of so-called "do-nothing machines", complex interrelated mechanical machinery components that merely have the purpose to make sure that all mechanical components smoothly work together while not producing any meaningful output, for example as found under http://scientific- management.com/the-do-nothing-machine-minimizer-test/. Such machines may for example serve as assessment tool used to identify mechanical skills and competencies when hiring maintenance professionals, machine operators, machine assemblers and other technicians. A varying degree of assessment difficulty may be flexibly chosen depending on the desired testing level. For example, the assessment protocols for a maintenance mechanic may be designed to be more challenging than the assessment protocols for testing a machine operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, an object of the invention is to find solutions for mechanical assessment devices that are inexpensive, comparably easy to transport, low in maintenance effort, flexible in assessment difficulty level and modular in nature for easier expansion of components.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a mechanical skill assessment device includes a plurality of mechanical block-advancing means for advancing a testing block along a predefined path, and a plurality of drive means configured to impart motion to the plurality of block-advancing means. The plurality of drive means include at least one adjustable motion conveying means for synchronising relative motion of the plurality of block-advancing means so as to advance the testing block along the predefined path.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a method for testing abilities and mechanical skills of machine operators or technicians includes disaligning at least some of a plurality of drive means of a mechanical skill assessment device, the plurality of drive means configured to impart motion to a plurality of block- advancing means for advancing a testing block along a predefined path of the mechanical skill assessment device, the plurality of drive means including at least one adjustable motion conveying means for synchronising relative motion of the plurality of block-advancing means so as to advance the testing block along the predefined path. The method further includes aligning, by a machine operator or technician under test, the plurality of drive means of the mechanical skill assessment device. In the method of the second aspect, the time needed by the machine operator or technician under test to align the plurality of drive means of the mechanical skill assessment device is measured, and it is checked whether a testing block may be smoothly advanced along the predefined path of the mechanical skill assessment device after the machine operator or technician under test has aligned the plurality of drive means. The method finally comprises an assessment of the abilities and mechanical skills of the machine operator or technician on the basis of the measured time and the result of the checking step. According to a third aspect of the invention, a method for testing abilities and mechanical skills of machine operators or technicians includes setting, by a test supervisor, a mechanical skill assessment device according to the first aspect of the invention to a predefined test configuration in which the plurality of drive means are arranged such that the relative motion of at least two of the plurality of block- advancing means is asynchronous, and adjusting, by an operator or technician under test, the mechanical skill assessment device so that the plurality of drive means are arranged such that the relative motion of the plurality of block- advancing means is synchronous. The time required by the operator or technician to adjust the mechanical skill assessment device is measured and compared against a benchmark time for adjusting the mechanical skill assessment device from the predefined test configuration. The adjustments made by the operator or technician under test are checked by inserting a testing block in the adjusted mechanical skill assessment device, by actuating the adjusted mechanical skill assessment device to advance the testing block along the mechanical skill assessment device and by comparing the path followed by the testing block with the predefined block-advancing path. Finally, the method comprises determining the abilities and mechanical skills of the operator or technician under test on the basis of the results of the measured time and the result of the checking step.

According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device two of the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means may be arranged to interfere with each other when driven in asynchronous motion.

According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device two of the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means may be arranged to

simultaneously contact the testing block along the predefined path when driven in synchronous motion.

According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means may come into contact with a portion of the testing block to advance it along the predefined path when driven in synchronous motion.

According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means may be arranged such that at least one of the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means is in contact with a portion of the testing block while the testing block advances along the predefined path when driven in synchronous motion. According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device, the plurality of drive means may comprise at least one of a belt drive, a chain drive, a shaft drive, a gear drive, and a cam mechanism. According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device, the mechanical skill assessment device may further comprise guiding means for guiding advancement of the testing block along the predefined path when the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means are driven in synchronous motion. According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device, at least one of the plurality of drive means and the plurality of mechanical block- advancing means may be manufactured using an additive manufacturing process.

According to some embodiments of the mechanical skill assessment device the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means may comprise at least one of a rotatable flap and a rotatable pusher.

In some embodiments of the invention, the mechanical skill assessment device of the first aspect of the invention may be used for testing the mechanical skills of a machine operator or technician.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding of the invention and the advantages thereof, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which: Fig. 1 shows a schematic illustrating functional blocks of a mechanical skill assessment device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows is a picture of a perspective view on a part of the mechanical skill assessment device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows is a picture of a perspective view on another part of the

mechanical skill assessment device of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram which schematically represents a method

according to a further embodiment of the invention. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate particular embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as they become better understood with reference to the following detailed description.

It will be appreciated that common and/or well understood elements that may be useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are not necessarily depicted in order to facilitate a more abstracted view of the embodiments. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily illustrated to scale relative to each other. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps in an embodiment of a method may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrences while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used in the present specification have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study, except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term "drive means" may include any mechanically and electromechanically operating structural elements that transfer motion between components through mechanical linkage. Drive means may physically link two different components, for example two drive components, two machine parts and/or one machine part and another drive component, with each other. Drive means within the meaning of the present disclosure may include one or more of a belt drive, a chain drive, a shaft drive, a gear drive, a cam mechanism, and any possible combination thereof. Drive components within the meaning of the present disclosure may include belts, conveyors, shafts, chains, differentials, gearboxes, gears, cams, crank wheels, cranks, levers, rollers, and similar structural components capable of transferring momentum.

As used herein, the term "block-advancing means" may include any mechanical lever, pusher, flap or propeller structure that has a rigid end portion coming in contact with a block to be advanced. Block-advancing means within the meaning of the present disclosure are driveable by a drive means in order to transfer momentum of any kind, such as linear momentum, angular momentum or torque, from the drive means to a block to be advanced. The transfer of momentum imparts linear momentum to an otherwise passive testing block that advances along a predefined path given by the path of the rigid end portion of mechanical lever, pusher, flap or propeller structure. Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a schematic illustrating functional blocks of a mechanical skill assessment device 10. The mechanical skill assessment device 10 may be used to identify mechanical skills and competencies when hiring maintenance professionals, machine operators, electro-mechanical personnel, assemblers and other technicians. The mechanical skill assessment device 10 may be set to varying degrees of assessment difficulty depending on desired testing and training level. For example, the assessment protocols for a maintenance mechanic may be set to a more challenging degree than the assessment protocols for a machine operator. The mechanical skill assessment device 10 may allow for identifying, comparably quantifying and assessing mechanical skills and abilities. That way, the mechanical skill assessment device 10 may be used to train and test abilities and skills of operators and technicians in mechanical troubleshooting. In addition to identifying and assessing already acquired skills of machine operators and technicians, the mechanical skill assessment device 10 may further be used in training and enhancing mechanical aptitude in individuals that have not yet been properly trained.

The mechanical skill assessment device 10 is a manually operated mechanism. By driving the handwheel W, the mechanical components of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 interact with each other in order to move a testing block B - similar, for example, to a pack of cigarettes - from a starting point in the mechanical skill assessment device 10 to an end point in the mechanical skill assessment device 10. The testing block B may for example be a cuboid or parallelepiped-shaped metallic or cardboard block. The testing block B passes the individual stages of the mechanical skill assessment device 10. If the mechanical components of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 are properly

synchronised to each other, the testing block B will advance through the stages substantially in an unobstructed manner and will not show apparent physical damage (e.g., scratches).

The testing procedure that may be performed using the mechanical skill assessment device 10 essentially allows the person under test (the "testee") a certain timeframe during which the testee may explore the details of the machine, such as a monitoring of the movements of the separate components or the exploration of the kinematic system. After the testee has learned the

synchronisation and sequence of the block advancement between the individual stages, the testee is sent out of the testing room. The administrator of the test enters a technical malfunction or failure in the system by purposefully disaligning at least one or some of the components in a specific or random way. Upon return into the room, the testee may drive the machine upon which the block chokes in the mechanical skill assessment device 10 due to the disalignment.

The testee is then asked to detect a component or a group of components of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 in which he or she supposes a faulty during synchronisation to appear. He or she will need to select necessary and appropriate tools to perform the re-alignment of the disaligned identified components. After making adjustments to the components, the testee should make sure that the adjustments are correct. Upon driving the mechanical skill assessment device 10 again, the testing block B should again smoothly pass along the predefined path of advancement. The administrator of the test may record the time spent by the testee to detect and eliminate the disalignment. Along with other entries into an evaluation form, such as remarks to the choice of tools, attempts used by the testee for re- alignment, the testee's understanding of the nature of failure, specific questions asked by the testee and so on, the test allows for reproducibility and comparability between different testees or the same testee at different times of taking the test.

There may be different tasks within a given test using the mechanical skill assessment device 10, such as failure analysis, decision-making, speed of re alignment and/or reaction to comments of the administrator of the test. In order to get an idea about the typical time spent for solving the test tasks, experienced mechanics and operators may pass the test, depending on the level of difficulty, in order to have a benchmark time.

The mechanical skill assessment device 10 depicted in Fig. 1 and in more detail in the perspective views of Fig. 2 and 3 generally has an operating plane in which the testing block B may move in a predefined advancement direction, schematically indicated with the reference sign G. In particular, the mechanical skill assessment device 10 may include one or more guiding means 6a and 6b that are used to guide advancement of the testing block B along the predefined path G. The guiding means 6a, 6b may for example be two bars or rods that extend along the outer boundaries of the intended predefined advancement path G in order to only allow for motion of the testing block B within those boundaries. The guiding means 6a, 6b may extend along the whole predefined path G underneath individuals stages of the mechanical skill assessment device 10.

The operating plane of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 may generally be defined by a platform 1, such as a plate or a table, on the even surface of which the testing block B may be pushed along its intended path. The individual stages of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 may be arranged partly on the platform 1, partly under the platform 1, depending on the type of interaction with the remaining components.

A plurality of mechanical block-advancing means are provided in the mechanical skill assessment device 10, with each of the block-advancing means being configured to advance the testing block B along the predefined path G. The block- advancing means are interconnected by a plurality of drive means, each of which is configured to impart motion to the respectively connected block-advancing means. One or more of the drive means are motion conveying means that are adjustable. Their adjustment or alignment provides for synchronising the relative motion of the block-advancing means in order to have their synchronised motion impart momentum onto the testing block B.

The block-advancing means may be generally arranged in vicinity of the

predefined path G so that end portions thereof may come in physical contact with the testing block B. For example, a pusher PI is rotatably mounted on a first drive shaft 3. The pusher PI is a rigid stick or ledge extending normal to the rotation axis of the drive shaft 3 into the predefined advancement path G. Rotation of the drive shaft 3 will cause the pusher PI to rotate into the path G and to eventually push the testing block B forward when rotated at the right time behind the block B. A second block-advancing means is the pusher P2 mounted to the drive shaft 4.

Pusher P2 generally works similar to the pusher PI. Pushers PI and P2 are arranged such that, when not aligned properly, will interfere with each other's movement/rotation. For example, the pusher PI may be a broader panel that includes a cut-out or recess in the axially far end portion. The cut-out or recess may be dimensioned such that pusher P2 may partially pass through the recess while the pusher PI rotates past pusher P2. The pushers PI and P2 may generally be rigid, for example from a metallic material.

Another type of block-advancing means is a combination of two flaps FI and F2 rotatably mounted to two rotation discs 7d and 7e. The rotation discs 7d, 7e may rotate in different directions and cause the two flaps FI and F2 to turn inwards into the predefined path G. If the testing block B moves through this advancement stage, the flaps FI and F2 may impart momentum to the block B through its backside. The flaps FI and F2 may be propeller structures that extend normal to a rotation axis of their respective rollers. The flaps FI and F2 may have an angled end portion that points towards the regular direction of rotation and which may form a contact point between the back surface of the testing block B and the flaps FI and F2. The propellers of the flaps FI and F2 may generally extend parallel to the platform 1 at a certain distance to its platform surface. The flaps FI and F2 may generally be rigid, for example from a metallic material.

The drive means may be various drive shafts, belts, pulleys, rollers and cams. The drive shaft 2 which is driven by a handwheel W may be located underneath the platform 1. Drive shaft 2, when driven by handwheel W, moves both the belts SI and S4 mounted to pulleys 8d and 8e, respectively. The belt SI transmits the rotation to the drive shaft 5 by means of the pulley 8a. The drive shaft 5 has a second pulley 8b mounted thereto which drives the drive shaft 3 by means of a third pulley 8c interconnected with the second pulley 8b by means of a

transmission belt S2.

A cam 9a mounted to an end of the drive shaft 3 is coupled to a roller 9b mounted fixedly to the drive shaft 4 so that a rotation of the drive shaft 3 transfers the rotary motion to the drive shaft 4. The roller 9b may have a height adjustment unit that allows for changing the amplitude of the pusher P2. A fourth pulley 8e may be connected to the rotary discs 7d and 7e by means of a transmission belt. The transmission belt S4 runs along roller 7c and is guided over rollers 7a and 7b. The flaps FI and F2 mounted to the rotary discs 7d and 7e turn in opposite directions and push it along its path G towards the drive shaft 5. While not explicitly being shown in the drawings, drive shaft 5 may also have a further pusher similar to the pushers PI and P2 mounted thereto. The pulley 8a may have an axial adjustment unit that enables to align the timing between the flaps FI and F2 and the pusher on the drive shaft 5.

The drive shaft 2 may for example be equipped with a vernier control that allows for adjusting the pushers PI and P2 in degrees. With the help of the rollers 7a, 7b and 7c, the transmission belt S4 may be tensioned in sections S3, S5 and S6, the rollers 7a, 7b and 7c serving as belt guides for the transmission belt S4.

To set up the machine 10, it is necessary to synchronise all pushers, tension the belts, set the correct amplitude on the cam mechanism and to axially calibrate the pushers on the drive shafts. In order to perform more difficult testing procedures, the transmission belts may be removable. The tensioners, the pulleys and the shafts may be removed from the device 10. After re-fitting them by the testee, it will be required to perform a complete setup of the whole device 10.

The drive of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 is put into practice by cam mechanisms, transmission belts and shaft-mounted pushers, for none of which specific lubrication or preventive maintenance is required. The whole drive system is lightweight and small in size, making it easy to disassemble and to transport from place to place. The different drive stages allow for the creation of many different tasks or various difficulty levels. The mechanical skill assessment device 10 may be updated to include further drive means or block-advancing means, for example electrical couplings or controllers, or a pneumatic system. Due to the absence of toothed wheels and gears, the safety of the device 10 in use for the persons under test is enhanced. Any of the components of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 may be manufactured using an additive manufacturing process ("3D printing"), making it easy to speed up a replacement of parts and to reduce the costs of manufacturing the device 10 locally at a testing facility.

Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram which schematically represents a method M for testing mechanical skills and abilities of a machine operator or technician. The method M may be performed by using the mechanical skill assessment device 10 as shown and explained in conjunction with Figs. 1 to 3. In particular, the method M may be used to identify mechanical skills and competencies when hiring maintenance professionals, machine operators, electro-mechanical personnel, assemblers and other technicians. In a first step Ml, a test supervisor sets the mechanical skill assessment device to a predefined test configuration in which the plurality of drive means are arranged such that the relative motion of at least two of the plurality of block-advancing means is asynchronous. The predefined test configuration may be reached by disaligning, i.e. putting out of synchronicity at least some of a plurality of drive means of the mechanical skill assessment device. By disaligning the drive means, a plurality of block-advancing means of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 are no longer capable of moving in synchronous motion, thereby preventing a testing block B from smoothly passing the different drive means one after the other.

A machine operator or technician under test may in a second step M2 adjust the mechanical skill assessment device 10 so that the plurality of drive means are re- arranged. In particular, it is the task of the machine operator or technician under test to re-align the plurality of drive means back into a working configuration in which the relative motion of the plurality of block-advancing means is synchronous again. The machine operator or technician under test will have to use his experience, knowledge and examination of the disaligned components of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 to perform the correct adjustments. During the adjustment phase, the time required by the machine operator or technician under test to adjust the mechanical skill assessment device is measured in a step M3. The required time can then be compared against a benchmark time for adjusting the mechanical skill assessment device from the predefined test configuration. Such benchmark timing may for example be obtained by averaging previous adjustment timings of experienced machine operators or technicians running the same testing procedure. This average timing may be multiplied by a correction factor to account for the expertise of the machine operator or technician under test, with the correction factor being typically between 1 and 1.5, for example of about 1.2 for a more experienced machine operator or technician.

After the machine operator or technician under test has adjusted the mechanical skill assessment device 10, it may be checked in a step M4 whether the

adjustments made by the operator or technician under test are correct, particularly by inserting a testing block B in the adjusted mechanical skill assessment device 10, by actuating the adjusted mechanical skill assessment device 10 to advance the testing block B along the mechanical skill assessment device 10 and by comparing the path followed by the testing block B with the predefined block-advancing path G. If the testing block B may be smoothly advanced along the predefined path G of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 without mechanical blockage, it may serve as an indication that the adjustments of the mechanical skill assessment device by the machine operator or technician under test had been successful. The test supervisor will determine whether the testing block B advances smoothly along the predefined path G or not by inspecting the testing block B for any signs of physical damage, like scratches. It is envisaged to use a first testing block B of a hard material (e.g., metallic) to check mechanical blockage, and a second testing block B of a softer material (e.g., cardboard) to check signs of physical damage.

Depending on the time required and the result of the checking step M4, the abilities and mechanical skills of the machine operator or technician may be determined in a step M5 in order to comparably quantify the test person's mechanical knowledge and aptitude.

When the method M is performed for different machine operators or technicians under test, the assessment results may be compared to each other on an objectively comparable and repeatable basis. A further method or testing mechanical skills and abilities of a machine operator or technician may equally be performed by using the mechanical skill assessment device 10 as shown and explained in conjunction with Figs. 1 to 3. In particular, the method described in the following may be used to identify mechanical skills and competencies when hiring maintenance professionals, machine operators, electro- mechanical personnel, assemblers and other technicians.

In a first step, at least some of a plurality of drive means of a mechanical skill assessment device, such as the mechanical skill assessment device 10, are disaligned. By disaligning the drive means, a plurality of block-advancing means of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 are no longer capable of moving in synchronous motion, thereby preventing a testing block B from smoothly passing the different drive means one after the other.

A machine operator or technician under test may in a second step be asked to align the plurality of drive means of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 again, according to his experience, knowledge and examination of the disaligned components of the mechanical skill assessment device 10. During the alignment phase, the time needed by the machine operator or technician under test to align the plurality of drive means may be measured in a third step.

After the machine operator or technician under test has aligned the plurality of drive means of the mechanical skill assessment device 10, it may be checked in a subsequent step whether a testing block B may be smoothly advanced along the predefined path G of the mechanical skill assessment device 10 without

mechanical blockage, indicating that the alignment of the machine components by the machine operator or technician under test had been successful. Depending on the time needed and the result of the subsequent checking step, the abilities and mechanical skills of the machine operator or technician may be assessed in a fifth step in order to comparably quantify the test person's mechanical knowledge and aptitude.

Either of the aforementioned methods may be performed for different machine operators or technicians under test, so that the assessment or determination results may be compared to each other on an objectively comparable and repeatable basis.

Claims

1. A mechanical skill assessment device (10), comprising:

a plurality of mechanical block-advancing means (PI; P2; FI; F2) for advancing a testing block (B) along a predefined path (G); and

a plurality of drive means (2; 3; 4; 5; 7a; 7b; 7c; 7d; 7e; 8a; 8b; 8c; 8d; 8e; 9a; 9b) configured to impart motion to the plurality of block-advancing means, the plurality of drive means including at least one adjustable motion conveying means for synchronising relative motion of the plurality of block- advancing means so as to advance the testing block (B) along the

predefined path (G).

2. The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to claim 1, wherein two of the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means (PI; P2; FI; F2) are arranged to interfere with each other when driven in asynchronous motion.

3. The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein two of the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means (PI; P2;

FI; F2) are arranged to simultaneously contact the testing block (B) along the predefined path (G) when driven in synchronous motion.

4. The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means (PI; P2; FI;

F2) come into contact with a portion of the testing block (B) to advance it along the predefined path (G) when driven in synchronous motion. The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means (PI; P2; FI; F2) are arranged such that at least one of the plurality of mechanical block- advancing means is in contact with a portion of the testing block (B) while the testing block (B) advances along the predefined path (G) when driven in synchronous motion.

6 The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of drive means (2; 3; 4; 5; 7a; 7b; 7c; 7d; 7e; 8a; 8b; 8c; 8d; 8e; 9a; 9b) comprise at least one of a belt drive, a chain drive, a shaft drive, a gear drive, and a cam mechanism.

7. The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, further comprising:

guiding means (6a, 6b) for guiding advancement of the testing block (B) along the predefined path (G) when the plurality of mechanical block- advancing means (PI; P2; FI; F2) are driven in synchronous motion.

8 The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of drive means (2; 3; 4; 5; 7a; 7b; 7c; 7d; 7e; 8a; 8b; 8c; 8d; 8e; 9a; 9b) and the plurality of mechanical block- advancing means (PI; P2; FI; F2) are manufactured using an additive manufacturing process.

9 The mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of mechanical block-advancing means (PI; P2; FI; F2) comprise at least one of a rotatable flap and a rotatable pusher.

10. Use of a mechanical skill assessment device (10) as defined in any of claims 1 to 9 for testing the mechanical skills of a machine operator or technician.

11. A method for testing abilities and mechanical skills of machine operators or technicians, the method comprising:

setting (Ml), by a test supervisor, a mechanical skill assessment device (10) according to any of claims 1 to 10 to a predefined test configuration in which the plurality of drive means (2; 3; 4; 5; 7a; 7b; 7c; 7d; 7e; 8a; 8b; 8c; 8d; 8e; 9a; 9b) are arranged such that the relative motion of at least two of the plurality of block-advancing means (PI; P2; FI; F2) is asynchronous;

adjusting (M2), by an operator or technician under test, the mechanical skill assessment device (10) so that the plurality of drive means are arranged such that the relative motion of the plurality of block- advancing means is synchronous;

measuring (M3) the time required by the operator or technician to adjust the mechanical skill assessment device (10) and comparing it against a benchmark time for adjusting the mechanical skill assessment device (10) from the predefined test configuration;

checking (M4) the adjustments made by the operator or technician under test by inserting a testing block (B) in the adjusted mechanical skill assessment device (10), actuating the adjusted mechanical skill assessment device (10) to advance the testing block (B) along the mechanical skill assessment device (10) and comparing the path followed by the testing block (B) with the predefined block-advancing path; and

determining (M5) the abilities and mechanical skills of the operator or technician under test on the basis of the results of the measured time and the result of the checking step (M4).