Modelling and simulation and ergonomic standards as support tools for a workstation design in manufacturing system

Abstract

It is the intent of the work to achieve the ergonomic effective design of a workstation belonging to an industrial plant operating in the field of mechanical parts production. To this end, the authors propose an approach based on the integration of modelling and simulation tools and several ergonomic standards. Modelling and simulation tools are used to implement a three-dimensional environment capable of recreating, with satisfactory accuracy, the evolution over the time of the real workstation. The ergonomic standards are accomplished for evaluating and analysing the ergonomic risk level within the system being considered. Workstation modifications are incorporated in the simulation model and the effects (ergonomic risk level) of those changes are analysed for designing an improved workstation configuration in terms of interaction between operators and their industrial working environment.