A virtual reality-based experiment environment for engine assembly line workplace planning and ergonomics evaluation

In this paper, an integrated virtual assembly simulation experiment environment of interactive workplace planning, assembly process simulation and ergonomics evaluation is built and it provides a new ways and means for interactive and visualized workplace design and process planning. A simple and effective method of measuring the movement manipulating data of operator is presented and can provide data source for ergonomics evaluation of the operator. In order to obtain these data in VE, movement data of the operator in real environment is transformed into VE and is related with virtual objects by the corresponding relation between VH and real hand (RH). Based on these data, the operator's fatigue index and energy consumption can be calculated. The conformability and fatigue of users for repetitive assembly operations are quantitatively evaluated to reduce the health problems of operators because of unreasonable layout and repetitive work.