Preventing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Manufacturing by Digital Human Modeling.

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics and Human Factors
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Digital Simulation and Modeling

Background:

• Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) pose significant challenges in manufacturing.
• Traditional WMSD risk assessment methods can be complex and time-consuming.
• Digital human modeling offers potential for streamlined ergonomic evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a simplified digital human modeling approach for WMSD risk assessment.
• To evaluate the impact of using a 50th percentile individual model versus boundary mannequins.
• To enhance workplace design methodologies in manufacturing.

Main Methods:

• Development of a workplace design methodology incorporating digital human models.
• Application of a classic WMSD risk assessment method within a 3D digital environment.
• Modeling of two real-life manufacturing workstations using Anthropos ErgoMax in 3D Studio Max.

Main Results:

• Simulations demonstrated that a 50th percentile individual model can effectively replace classic boundary mannequins.
• This simplification showed minimal impact on the accuracy of WMSD risk assessment in the examined cases.
• The proposed approach offers a viable compromise for ergonomic evaluations.

Conclusions:

• The 50th percentile digital human model provides a simplified yet effective alternative for WMSD risk assessment in certain workplace designs.
• This method can be particularly useful when seeking compromise solutions balancing ergonomic criteria with other constraints.
• Further consideration of this approach is recommended for optimizing ergonomic simulation processes.