Modelling and simulation of human-centred assembly systems - a real case study

Abstract

This paper reports the experiences gained through the use of computer simulation in the modelling of a human-centred assembly line in an automotive manufacturing company. The main themes of the paper include the problem of achieving sufficient accuracy in the description of human operations, the difficulties encountered in data collection, and the modelling of human-centred operations. The importance of an accurate representation of human behaviour for the validity of the developed simulation model in a human-centred system is discussed. Finally, the simulation results and some recommendations for system improvement are presented. © 2005 by International Federation for Information Processing.