Computer aided planning and design of manual assembly systems

This paper describes current problems in the field of assembly planning and reasons why industrial enterprises need integrated, computer aided tools for the design of worksystems. An example of such a tool is presented in this article. With this computer aided planning system (CAP) called EMMA (expert for the design of manual assembly workplaces ≡ Experte zur Gestaltung manueller Montagear-beitsplätze), it is possible to plan ahead a workplace considering all anthropometrical and biomechanical restrictions, based on a geometric design model of the product, that has to be assembled. A combination of heuristics is used to achieve the objectives of the planning process. Taken into account are the economic aspects as well as human factors. A multi dimensional evaluation of the planning solution and the interactive optimization will lead to workplaces of high economic and ergonomic value. At the end of the article, a case study describes how EMMA works.