VW optimises ergonomics with Dassault’s manufacturing engineering software

The company says that Delmia’s prototyping capability provides good communication between designers, engineers and operators and improves the efficiency and speed of human motion in a manufacturing situation. VW says it’s all about eliminating the potential for physical injury to line workers, as well as work stoppage or vehicle quality issues. That’s why the company analyses all human movements. It cites the example of an assembly line worker needing to reach a bolt and tighten it at the required line speed – simulation reveals problems and helps find solutions in terms of improved workstation layout. “Delmia Human gives me the ability to simulate the work environment on the computer to ensure ergonomic suitability before implementing in real life,” explains Maileen Zander, an ergonomics consultant for Volkswagen’s vehicle projects. “Since the system simulates many standard positions and one can also expand the body posture library, one is spared from having to manually model every new position. Delmia Human is an essential tool for my work. Without the true-to-life simulation, we would be unable to verify our findings in the early planning phase.”