CAD and Video Somatograpby: A liaison for creating ergonomic work systems†

Abstract

CAD systems and other planning instruments are used more and more in designing manual and partly automated work systems. Ergonomic aspects are often not taken into consideration because of a lack of usable ergonomic design instruments. On the other side, a planning system for the dimensional designing of movement facilities was developed and used with success in West Germany—the Video Somatography. In connecting the two different systems, a new integrated ergonomic system was created. Thereby workplaces can be planned and designed using ergonomic and technical criteria in an optimal way. Further advantages are expected by integrating ergonomic knowledge into the system. With this, it will be possible for the workplanner to get information about ergonomic and economic conditions (workload, strength, assembly duration, etc.)

Notes

†Paper presented at the 9th International Conference on Production Research, held in Cincinnati, USA, 17-20 August 1987.