Assessment of Anthropometric Differences in the Design of Workstations: Case Studies of an Automotive Assembly Line

The study investigates how the anthropometric differences in the postural analysis of workstations affect the ergonomic risk assessments. Three manual assembly operations from a car production line were selected as case studies. Postural analyses were performed through virtual manikins and selected operations were reproduced in physical in the lab. The program Siemens Teamcenter Visualization Mockup® was initially used to simulate the interaction of an “average-size” male worker with the workplace. Further analyses were carried out through a multibody model to verify the accessibility and postural comfort of different anthropometric percentiles. Results demonstrate the importance of a postural assessment also for limiting users, especially in case the assembly line cannot be adjusted to the operator’s anthropometry, and the benefit of easy-to-use simulation tools to assist the ergonomist in the workstations design and to ensure the required comfort for all operators.