SAE INDIA 0301038

Applications of Digital Humans in Vehicle Design and Workplace design

Eric Coutu
Dassault Systemes, Canada
Copyright 2003 SAE International

ABSTRACT
In todays world of Reducing Time to Launch, there is a strong requirement to model the physical elements of the human alongside the models of vehicles, workplaces and equipments, and study and validate the man machine interaction for validating ergonomics and comfort. This paper addresses this need, and explains the intricacies of Human modeling, ergonomic analyses, and applications of ergonomics. This paper details the need and current trends in ergonomic validation in a design environment, concurrently for vehicle ergonomics and manufacturing workplace ergonomics, in a completely digital form.

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Essential empirical analyses methods for predicting comfort, reach, visibility, and other aspects of man-machine interaction. Ie., the need to covert qualitative feedbacks into quantitative and measurable form. Capturing the lessons learnt, and ability to reuse it for future needs thereby gaining from experience.

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MAIN SECTION
Within a world where products are built, used and maintained by people, the human being is the central actor in the Digital Enterprise., quotes Mr. Bernard Charles, President Dassault Systemes, emphasizing the companys commitment to Ergonomics. The two main areas where there is a requirement of ergonomic validation are in the field of product design, and in the field of manufacturing workplace. In the case of vehicle design, the ergonomics takes a key importance for two reasons. One, this could be a key differentiator in the decision making process in the car buyers mind. Two, there are governmental safety regulations for ergonomics which are to be mandatorily adhered to. In the case of workplace design, ergonomics makes the difference in productivity and effectiveness. Further there are safety regulations to be respected in terms of reach, visibility, lifting regulations. ERGONOMICS IN VEHICLE DESIGN

INTRODUCTION
The human being is one of the most non-standard and unpredictable components of any system. Human capability is a major (limiting) parameter of design, so in many application areas there is a strong requirement to model the physical elements of the human alongside models of vehicles, workplaces and equipments. Anywhere, where a human interfaces with a system, there is a need to ensure that the ergonomics are validated before field use. Typical applications of ergonomics study include vehicle design ( Land vehicles automobiles, defense vehicles, air-crafts, sea going vessels ), validation of human interaction in a manufacturing workplace with equipment, validation of human factors in maintenance of vehicles and equipment. Essentially, the steps for ergonomics validation are i) The need to validate ergonomics in a digital environment concurrent with product/ process design ( Freedom from Physical prototypes ) The need for near accurate digital human models representative of the target population, as well as depict the variations.

Virtually every element of the Vehicle design lifecycle can benefit from the deployment of Digital Humans to simulate the capabilities and limitations of Humans. The main focus in vehicle design is for the driver and copassengers, and this can be defined as occupant packaging.

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Occupant Packaging The focus of occupant packaging is centered around the occupants to validate the ergonomics in the areas of a) Seat location and seat travel limit requirements. b) Comfort and posture analyses, the key decision point in a car buyers mind. c) Vision and visibility in all directions and hinderances and obstructions to vision from physical members of the vehicle. d) Reachability for controls, or the difficulty in reaching. e) Clearances in different areas. Eg., Head room, elbow clearances, Leg room. f) Clashes between human and different parts of the vehicle. Eg., clashes between the elbow and copassenger seat during gear shifting.

c) Visibility. Eg., a window motor assembly inside a car door is a BLIND ASSEMBLY. A proper analysis is required prior to implementation on shop floor to effect the desired productivity. d) Posture Analyses is a key aspect that needs to be studied for, because improper posture of assembly workers leads to lower productivity, bad quality, and in the long term, injurious to workers. Todays Digital Tools allow the validation of all of the above factors in a totally digital environment to gain effective feedback and effect needed corrections to design / manufacturing process.

CONCLUSION
The need of the hour is to validate ergonomics concurrently in a digital environment. Todays tools allow users to a) Accurately represent the target human population Digitally b) Utilize Digital Humans to interact with nonphysical entities such as vehicles, manufacturing equipment, maintenance procedures. c) Verify and validate ergonomics digitally. Provide effective and quantitative feedback to designers and process engineers for effective modification, early in the life cycle of the product ( without even having to use Physical prototypes ) d) Capture the knowledge, and reuse it for modified designs, without having to recreate the entire procedure from start. e) Provide the end-user a user-friendly and ergonomic Vehicle, or manufacturing workplace.

The Digital tools are available for a complete occupant packaging study with the exact target populace. This enables the design to be made ergonomically acceptable and appealing to the car buyers. This would mean a key competitive advantage to users of the digital tools. ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING WORKPLACE AND MAINTENANCE STUDIES. An ergonomically desig ned manufacturing workplace improves productivity. This is because of the ergonomics permits faster and effective working, reduces injuries thereby reducing lost working hours. In maintenance, ergonomics can make the difference between faster maintenance procedures and complex, time consuming maintenance methods. Ergonomics in Manufacturing workplace and maintenance operations The manufacturing workplace is digitally verified for ergonomics through Digital tools. The different aspects of ergonomics are anal ysed as follows a) Reach for tools. Eg., In an assembly line operation this can make a large difference in productive and non-productive time, and thus on overall TAKT time b) Accessibility for hands in gaps. Eg., Assembly operations in a car assembly line. This analyses could eliminate cuts and injuries to assembly operators hands.

REFERENCES
1. 2. Ergonomics Software from SAFEWORK Ergonomics Software from DELMIA

CONTACT
Contact : Mr. Eric Coutu ( info@delmia.com )/ eric_coutu@dassault-systemes.com