Simulation of Ergonomic Interventions in a Color Spray Station using CATIA Software: A Case Study

Abstract

Background and Objective: The most logical decision to take into account when manufacturing a device is the application of the ergonomic principles in the design stage. One of the main goals of computer application in ergonomics is to develop a tool that allows the product to be evaluated at the beginning of the design process. This study aimed to evaluate the ergonomics of a powder paint spraying station and present a new design using Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application (CATIA) software. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on a paint spraying unit at a home appliance manufacturing factory. The digital model of the posture with the most deviation from the normal posture was simulated in the CATIA software. After evaluation by the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method, the biomechanical analysis was performed on the human model. Finally, based on the results of the RULA, ergonomic interventions were performed in the software, and the new workstation was re-evaluated in this study. Results: The final score of evaluating the color spray posture showed that the posture was at level four. This indicated the necessity of corrective measures and immediate changes. In this posture, the position of the forearm, muscles, wrists, arms, legs, upper body, and neck was inappropriate. Proposed interventions included the change of seat design and the weight adjustment of the spray gun. Conclusion: The results show that musculoskeletal problems can be significantly resolved by focusing on the organs that are under pressure and providing an ergonomic design prepared by CATIA software to reduce the pressure.

Keywords

• catia
• ergonomic interventions
• rula
• seat design