Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Maria Lua Nunes, Duarte Folgado, Carlos Fujao, Luis Silva, Joao Rodrigues, Pedro Matias, Marilia Barandas, Andre Carreiro, Sara Madeira, Hugo Gamboa
Summary: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are a prevalent work-related health issue, and hazardous postures pose a risk to their development. This study developed an inertial sensor-based approach to evaluate posture in industrial contexts, and found that traditional posture risk assessment tools do not consider posture risk differences among different operators.
Review
Automation & Control Systems
Ming-Yue Yin, Jian-Guang Li
Summary: Simulating the behavior of operators using digital human models is an important aspect of ergonomics research in Industry 4.0. The efficiency of digital human assembly simulation has been a major obstacle in using digital human models for assembly planning. With the advancement of artificial intelligence algorithms, it is now more realistic and efficient to build a human-cyber-physical system and achieve efficient digital human assembly planning. This paper discusses the leading technologies, advanced methods, and challenges related to digital human assembly, including digital human modeling, assembly ergonomics evaluation, assembly operation planning, and human-robot collaborative assembly.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Kiara Ottogalli, Daniel Rosquete, Javier Rojo, Aiert Amundarain, Jose Maria Rodriguez, Diego Borro
Summary: Aeronautics in the era of industry 4.0 is embracing automation in aircraft manufacturing, with the potential of Virtual Reality to improve productivity and mitigate unforeseen costs. A VR simulation environment was developed to evaluate automated processes and study human-robot coexistence, showing improvements in assembly time, worker cost, and ergonomics with an investment return of 1-2 years.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Adailton Goncalves da Silva, Marcus Vinicius Mendes Gomes, Ingrid Winkler
Summary: The late detection of ergonomic component assembly issues during manufacturing processes has negative impacts on operator well-being and productivity, as well as high correction costs. This study aims to analyze the application of virtual reality and digital human modeling for physical ergonomics assessment during product development in the industry. Despite a relative consensus on the benefits of integrating these technologies, their combination is rarely seen in the same analysis and most cases focus on pre-designed production processes.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nikos Dimitropoulos, Theodoros Togias, Natalia Zacharaki, George Michalos, Sotiris Makris
Summary: This paper proposes an AI-based system that can provide automated ergonomics support for robots, enhancing the efficiency and customization of human-robot collaboration. By using vision-based machine learning and heuristic search algorithms, the system can achieve task recognition and posture adjustment for the operator.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Jeffrey Lidstone, Gwen Malone, Ryan Porto, Allison Stephens, Marty Smets, Marc Banning, Joel Cort
Summary: The survey conducted in automotive assembly plants provided insight into RAPT operation data, helping to accurately simulate RAPT operations in a laboratory setting and improving workstation layouts in automotive manufacturing.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tsubasa Maruyama, Toshio Ueshiba, Mitsunori Tada, Haruki Toda, Yui Endo, Yukiyasu Domae, Yoshihiro Nakabo, Tatsuro Mori, Kazutsugu Suita
Summary: A digital twin-driven human-robot collaboration system was developed in this study, utilizing digital human technology for measuring and simulating worker motions and physical loads. The system demonstrated effectiveness in work monitoring, progress prediction, dynamic scheduling, and ergonomic assessment.
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Amir Nourmohammadi, Amos H. C. Ng, Masood Fathi, Janneke Vollebregt, Lars Hanson
Summary: This study addresses the mixed-model assembly line balancing problem by considering worker posture. An enhanced non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is developed to find promising Pareto front solutions.
CIRP JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Mario Caterino, Marta Rinaldi, Marcello Fera
Summary: In the era of smart factories, digital twin has the potential to enhance ergonomics analyses for manual assembly activities. This paper presents a framework based on a digital environment for conducting ergonomics simulations of complex working systems, considering multiple workers and variables. The case study on a manual car assembly system demonstrates the tool's effectiveness in evaluating physical ergonomic risk and shows that different job rotation strategies can impact the final scores of the evaluated indices.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lorenzo Vianello, Waldez Gomes, Freek Stulp, Alexis Aubry, Pauline Maurice, Serena Ivaldi
Summary: This article presents supportive tools for evaluating and visualizing the efforts and postures of workers when physically interacting with robots, with the aim of improving the ergonomy of working environments.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Rim Slama, Ilhem Slama, Houda Tlahig, Pierre Slangen, Oussama Ben-Ammar
Summary: This paper examines the ergonomics of human-centered assembly systems in Industry 4.0 and discusses the use of advanced technologies to enhance system efficiency and improve worker well-being. It emphasizes the importance of optimizing assembly system performance considering both economic and human factors. The paper explores metrics for assessing ergonomic risk and productivity based on human-centered technologies and analyzes how human factors can be incorporated in optimizing system performance. Additionally, it explores potential future directions in Industry 4.0.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Qiang Zhang, Shouguo Zheng, Cijun Yu, Qing Wang, Yinglin Ke
Summary: This paper proposes a digital thread-based digital twin (DTDT) framework for managing the complex and challenging aircraft assembly process. The framework takes advantage of both digital twin and digital thread, providing better data management, controllability, and traceability. A case study of the drilling and riveting process confirms the effectiveness of the framework in improving the efficiency of the aircraft assembly process.
JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Aitor Iriondo Pascual, Henrik Smedberg, Dan Hogberg, Anna Syberfeldt, Dan Lamkull
Summary: Optimizing productivity and worker well-being are usually considered as separate tasks performed by different engineers using different tools. This can lead to a slow development process and suboptimal solutions. However, previous knowledge can be used to find rules of thumb for similar cases without the need for new optimizations. In this study, data mining methods were employed to obtain knowledge from real-world optimization data, aiming to identify actionable insights for current and future optimization cases.
Article
Management
Andreas Hottenrott, Leon Waidner, Martin Grunow
Summary: Just-in-sequence material supply is common in the automotive industry, but short-term disruptions can lead to sequence instability. To address this issue, robust sequencing approaches that consider failure probabilities have been proposed to minimize work overloads and disruptions in assembly operations.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Kung-Jeng Wang, Chiuhsiang Joe Lin, Ahmed Abide Tadesse, Bereket Haile Woldegiorgis
Summary: Flexible assembly systems rely on human-robot collaboration to achieve common objectives. However, implementing this collaboration requires addressing safety concerns, defining clear roles for each agent, and enabling robots to anticipate human actions and intentions. This study proposes a simulation-based modeling approach for testing and verifying HRC scenarios, with modules for safety, task assignment, and operator risk perception. The model includes a hidden semi-Markov model to enable the robot to adjust its movements based on the human operator's assembly rate and risk perception.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
