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

This research concerns the workplace design methodology, involving digital human models, that prevents work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). We propose an approach that, in conjunction with one of the classic WMSD risk assessment methods, allows one to simplify simulations in a three-dimensional digital environment. Two real-life workstations from a manufacturing industry were modelled in a 3D Studio Max environment by means of an Anthropos ErgoMax system. A number of simulations show that, for the examined cases, classic boundary mannequins’ approaches can be replaced by using 50th percentile of a population individual, with a minimal impact on the WMSD risk. Although, the finding might not be suitable in all situations, it should be considered, especially where compromise solutions are being sought due to other criteria.