ABSTRACT
During product development in general, and in automotive product development in particular, the need for accurate specified requirements within ergonomics is a key factor for user centered design. Traditionally, ergonomic features and requirements have been difficult to incorporate and interpret in the product development phases. This is mainly due to the fact that the human aspects within physical ergonomics as well as issues of human machine interaction (HMI), have contained less hard facts compared to e.g. structural analysis and mechanical design. Digital Human Modeling (DHM) tools have for a long time been used to facilitate this work and consider ergonomics early in the product development process. However, even though this tool is used, the product developers have difficulties finding easy access to ergonomic recommendations and requirements needed for a proper study. Usually facts are spread out in paper folders or digital folders around the company. This paper illustrates how the DHM tool Delmia V5 Human has been used to build
3D ergonomic rcquirements models for a specific automotive cabin development branch. Based on a foundation of international recommendations and regulations, e.g. EN, ISO, SAE, as well as company-specific demands, CAD modcls were developed describing the ergonomic requirements as envelopes or planes. Thc models covered outer visibility, maximum and comfort reach and foot reach. Furthermore, inner visibility was also included covering part of the lIMI requirements. Benefits of 3D ergonomic requirement models are discussed in this paper giving illustrations on how these types of models can be used as an effective tool in ergonomics requirements handling as well as for time reduction in product development. In a conclusion it is shortly described how these models have been incorporated in the cabin development company.
