Den Menschen im Blick
| CharAT Ergonomics |
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CharAT Ergonomics is a 3dsMAX 2010 Plugin created by Virtual Human Engineering GmbH. It is designed for ergonomic analysis and the shaping of technology used by people. It is used as an intelligent tool for DIGITAL MOCK UP by ergonomists, engineers, designers, workplace designers as well as architects and interior decorators and also in research and academic education. The name CharAT stands for „Character animation tool (for) ergonomics“. Character animation means high-quality design of an animated figure. In this case it stands for a human model, that represents human properties. Special attention lies on ergonomic use. Therefore the human model CharAT-Ergonomics realizes human properties computer-aided, which are important for the consideration of ergonomic requirements in a certain creative context. CharAT-Ergonomics helps to plan and evaluate ergonomic problem solutions through the usage of ergonomic tools. User friendliness and the usability of complex products are an important advantage in the market. For optimal profit it is important to design products that are both comfortable and safe to use. Especially during the early phases of product design, when the physical product is not always available, it often difficult to optimally shape the product to how humans will eventually use it. Digital ergonomic simulations use human models that replicate real life situations as closely as possible. This methodology allows for early design phase ergonomic simulations to determine the usability and user friendliness of the product. The highest degree of user friendlinessCHarAT offers a human simulation model. Using this model, ergonomically related questions can be answered long before the construction of a physical prototype. This saves valuable product design time and cost. With the help of virtual human models, key features of accessibility and manageability can be studied, positioning and comfort analysis can be carried out and the field of sight reasonably judged. The interactive simulations enable you to learn more about the loads and to see them directly through the high quality visualization of the geometry of the human body. Through specific anthropometric population databanks simulations can be carried out depending on the type of a person. This allows product decisions to be made faster and any expensive physical test can be reduced. CHarAT Ergonomics allows for ergonomic simulations to be carried out under different specialities and conditions.
Ready for Your Challenge
Applications
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Technical features
- DIN 33402 (2005) Variability: Region, Gender, Age, Percentil, Proportion, Somatotye, Akceleration. Furthermore customers can also use their own particular databanks.The adjustment of design-configuration concepts, populations and tests is absolutely no problem.
CharAT Ergonomics Skeleton Models consist of 1-200 bone elements that can be parameterized and configured with scripts. The absolute flexibility of the kinematic structure enables free adjustments throughout the design process to reach the analysis objectives. Visibility
CharAT Ergonomics can see your surroundings. Through a stereo subjective camera it displays the digital mock-up surroundings - what a human with the same head position would see. Viewpoint restrictions caused by glasses and masks can also be set. The design-concept assessment through the stereo subjective camera is compromise free.
Collision detectionThe current position and the collisions with the surroundings of the models can be detected and recorded in real-time. The real-time detection of obstacles makes the optimization of static/dynamic space possible. Discomfort AnalysisUsing animation, CharAT Ergonomics automatically tests the physical strain of joints. These values can be issued numerically or as a graph. The real-time signal enable immediate and intuitive problem detection and the correction of the body position as well as comfort assessment. Body ForcesDuring the machine's life phases, activities involving the application of force occur. These activities are characterized by different postures, body movements, positions of limbs, and directions of force. Two NEW modules in CharAT Ergonomics 6.2RULARapid Upper Limb Assessment is now implemented in the CharAT Ergonomics system. This survey method has been developed to assist ergonomic analysis of such workplaces where work-related upper limb disorders were reported. A coding system has been defined to implicate the level of discomfort and a relevant to-do action list is generated by the RULA module to show the necessary steps of intervention in order to reduce the risks of injury due to excessive physical load on the operator.
OWASThe Ovako Working Posture Analysing System (OWAS), is now also implemented in the CharAT Ergonomics system. The OWAS module presents a practical method of identifying and evaluating poor working postures. The method consists of two major parts. There is an integrated analytical technique for the evaluation of working postures. On the other hand a set of criteria will be supplied for the redesign of working methods and places. CharAT Machine Plug-inThe CharAT Ergonomics Expert Version is now delivered with the CharAT Machine plug-in, a powerful software tool for virtual simulation and analysis of kinematic systems. CharAT Machine facilitates the simulation of controlled mechanical systems. With the aid of CharAT Human and CharAT Machine Objects very complex human-controlled mechanical systems can be modeled and analyzed comfortably.
What is the advantage of CharAT Machine kinematic models?Machines can be implemented in the three dimensional virtual space as pure 3dsMax geometry models or as CharAT Machine Objects as well. The advantage of CharAT Machine models is the fact, that the effectors of the kinematic chain of CharAT Human Objects, such as hands, feet or line of sight, can be linked to the kinematic chain of CharAT Machine Objects by control units and that way the interdependency of the kinematic behavior of man and machine can be easily represented and analyzed. Using this method it is possible to create complex kinematic models in which the focus of the analysis is the interaction of man and machine mechanics. The way how the human controls the movement of machine segments can be simulated and the human->control unit->machine interface can be monitored and analyzed dynamically.
Which aspects can be analyzed?The CharAT Ergonomics Expert Version provides several powerful analysis tools for the following purposes: - Simulation of the interface between control units and controlled moving segments of a machine - Simulation of direct control of machine elements by the interpretation of the interface between effectors of the human model and control units of the machine. - Control of machine movements through representative collectives and dynamic user analysis of the following effects: • Assessment of the limits of movement regarding different body parts of the human while operating the control unit of the machine • Space required for certain movements • Compatibility of movement directions • Assessment of body forces related to certain movements • Visual analysis (visual fields, collision of visual ray with objects in the scene) in relation to various movements • The impact of motion sequences on body postures
How to construct the model of a complex kinematic system?CharAT Machine is just like CharAT Human an organic part of CharAT Ergonomics Expert Version. Technically, both software modules are implemented as a 3dsMax plug-in. 3D geometric models of machines can be assembled from several modules that can be either imported from CAD systems using standard import formats or be directly modeled in 3dsmax. The modules are linked with CharAT Machine Modules in which the kinematics is described. For example, it is possible to simulate the kinematic behavior of the articulated arm - consisting of boom, dipper and bucket - of a backhoe coupled with the corresponding control unit in a way that the movement of the joystick controls the movement of the attachments directly.
System requirements64-Bit 3ds Max 2010/2011/2012 or 3ds Max Design 2010/2011/2012 for Windows CahrAT Ergonomics and CharAT Machine V6.2/6.3Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional x64, Microsoft Windows Vista Business x64 (SP2 or higher), or Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 (SP2 or higher)
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