Developing Ergonomic Design Recommendations Using Human-Centric RAMSIS Analysis

Abstract

This analysis was conducted to determine the utility of the advanced ergonomic analysis tools in the RAMSIS software. Specifically, this report demonstrates how RAMSIS can be effectively used to provide detailed design recommendations which improve operator comfort in an excavator control cabin. A literature review of similar ergonomic investigations in heavy machinery and construction was conducted to provide background information to guide the analysis and context for future work. The ergonomic issues in the cabin design which were analyzed were the steering wheel positioning, armrests, wrist pads, joysticks, seat, floor pedals, touchscreen, and field of view. The step-by-step approach to this analysis was documented to provide a guide for readers to conduct a similar analysis in other applications. Steps for the analysis include creating manikins to represent edge percentiles of operator population, evaluating the comfort ratings of the default control and seating positions, adjusting cabin components translation and rotation to improve comfort, improving touch screen reach and interaction, and evaluating visibility and comfort during control actuation. A table of cabin components, translation, rotation, and nominal position summarizes the key relevant findings. These data provide useful bounds for excavator designers to make more ergonomically beneficial design decisions earlier in the product’s development. With little cost, relative to trial-and-error prototyping, RAMSIS can provide useful insights for a human-centric design.