Evaluation of ergonomics in a virtual manufacturing process
Journal article, 2007

This paper presents a study of the evaluation of ergonomics using virtual tools in a pre-production phase when verifying the manual assembly of the XC90 car model at the Volvo Car Corporation. The case study focused especially on the verification of visual demands in assembly work due to its complexity. The virtual development process was mapped in observations of the use of virtual tools and interviews with actors involved in the verification. Results show that computer manikins are viable tools in verifying ergonomics early in a development process and that they help to detect many problems prior to physical pre-series. There are, however, substantial improvement potentials, both in the software itself and, even more, in the process of using virtual tools. The study identified several factors that can increase the reliability of the results of computer manikin simulations (e.g. participative ergonomics and documentation issues). The special focus on visual demands shows the need of basic knowledge about human behaviour for making valid simulations. This case study stresses the need for knowledge about simulations in both analysis and interpretations in order to achieve maximum output from a virtual manufacturing process.

virtual

ergonomics

visual demand

manufacturing

human modeling

verification

DISTANCE

Author

Tania Dukic

Chalmers, Product and Production Development, Production Systems

M. Ronang

Volvo Cars

Marita Christmansson

Chalmers, Product and Production Development, Production Systems

Journal of Engineering Design

0954-4828 (ISSN) 1466-1837 (eISSN)

Vol. 18 2 125-137

Subject Categories

Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified

DOI

10.1080/09544820600675925

More information

Latest update

11/30/2018