Title: Using a formal high-level language and an automated manikin to automatically generate assembly instructions

Authors: Peter Mårdberg; Johan S. Carlson; Robert Bohlin; Niclas Delfs; Stefan Gustafsson; Dan Högberg; Lars Hanson

Addresses: Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Centre for Industrial Mathematics, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Centre for Industrial Mathematics, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Centre for Industrial Mathematics, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Centre for Industrial Mathematics, Gothenburg, Sweden ' Industrial Path Solutions Sweden AB, Gothenburg, Sweden ' School of Engineering Science, University of Skövde, Box 408, SE-541 28, Skövde, Sweden ' Department of Product and Production Development, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden; Industrial Development, Scania CV, Sweden

Abstract: This paper presents an approach to automatically generate predetermined motion time system (PMTS) based assembly instruction lists from simulations within digital human modelling (DHM) software. A formal high-level instruction language is used to instruct an automated manikin to perform assembly operations. The manikin, the language and the assembled objects are composed into a discrete model. In a post-computational step, the model is used to construct PMTS instruction lists by mapping the manikin motions, assembled objects and the language instructions onto a set of PMTS keywords. The described approach is implemented in the DHM software IMMA and tested on industrial cases of manual assembly in the automotive industry.

Keywords: virtual manufacturing; manual assembly; digital human modelling; DHM; programming languages; simulation; predetermined motion time system; PMTS; formal high-level language; automated manikins; assembly instruction generation; assembly instructions; automobile industry; automotive assembly.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFMS.2014.067180

International Journal of Human Factors Modelling and Simulation, 2014 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.233 - 249

Received: 21 Oct 2013
Accepted: 16 Jul 2014

Published online: 07 Feb 2015 *

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