Virtual simulation of human-robot collaboration workstations

Abstract

The constant call in manufacturing for higher quality, efficiency, flexibility and cost effective solutions has been supported by technology developments and revised legislations in the area of collaborative robots. This allows for new types of workstations in industry where robots and humans co-operate in performing tasks. In addition to safety, the design of such collaborative workstations needs to consider the areas of ergonomics and task allocation to ensure appropriate work conditions for the operators, while providing overall system efficiency. The aim of this study is to illustrate the development and use of an integrated robot simulation and digital human modelling (DHM) tool, which is aimed to be a tool for engineers to create and confirm successful collaborative workstations. An assembly scenario from the vehicle industry was selected for its redesign into a collaborative workstation. The existing scenario as well as potential collaborative concepts are simulated and assessed using a version of the simulation tool IPS IMMA. The assembly use case illustrates the capabilities of the tool to represent and evaluate collaborative workstations in terms of ergonomics and efficiency assessments.