Grant: Automotive Partnership Canada Project

Ergonomics is the science of designing work tasks to fit the capabilities of a worker so that injuries can be prevented. For many years, workers would have to get hurt before ergonomics was used to guide improvements to their work environment. However, recently, a number of larger companies have begun to use digital human modeiiing technologies and computer simulations of tasks, to aiiow for ergonomic assessments to be performed before these tasks even exists in reality. This technology aiiows ergonomists to place a digital human model (ie. avatar) within created virtual computeraided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) environments. A variety of virtual analyses can be performed to predict the effectiveness and injury risk associated with a workstation layout, and most of these software packages allow for the prediction of posture, reach, line of sight and joint strength demands. There Is evidence to suggest that this process can be extremely cost effective. The overaii purpose of the proposed research is to contribute to a reduction in workplace musculoskeletal disorders and an improvement in the efficiency of the automotive manufacturing design and launch cycle. More specificaiiy, the proposed research will: 1) Increase the capacity for earlier and more accurate estimations of the potential injury consequences associated with various automotive assembly task designs, with a particular focus On the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder. 2) Increase our understanding of how individuals interact with a wide variety of manufacturing workstation environments so that this might be predicted for future tasks, 3) Combine these elements, with further improvements and developments in human simulation and modelling methods, to aiiow for valid ergonomic assessments to be performed with work simulation renderings of tasks as early as possible in their design stages. We have secured funding, and a commitment to a full collaboration, with Chrysler, Ford and GM through their The United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR). The research will be focused In four key areas: 1) Improving the prediction of whole body postures and motion as well as hand leaning and body bracing; 2) Developing computer models of musculoskeletal tissues of the arm to predict joint loading and fatigue at the shouider, elbow, forearm, wrist and hand; 3) Developing and/or refining ergonomic tool to predict arm strength, carpal tunnel pressure and muscle fatigue levels and 4) Develop methods to accurateiy predict postures based On work task characteristics.