Seminar: Development of a Tool to Simulate Human Arm Dynamics via a Linear Motor and PLC Controller

Anthony Luscher, PhD, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

All dates for this event occur in the past.

E339 Scott Laboratory
E339 Scott Laboratory
201 W. 19th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210
United States

Abstract

The most common type of tool used in automotive assembly, when high torque accuracy is needed, is the computer-controlled direct current torque tool. A tightening program is run while the operator provides reaction torque during fastener run down. The ergonomic interaction between these tools and operators has been of significant ergonomic interest to prevent both repetitive and acute muscular skeletal injury. Although human testing is possible, test subjects have poor repeatability. There is also a desire to test a tool against the entire worker population, which varies significantly in terms of effective arm mass, stiffness and damping.

This presentation will discuss a novel device created to mimic the dynamic performance of a human arm. This device acts as a virtual human arm and allows arm parameters, joint stiffness, and tool program to be varied. The human arm model used, the physical makeup of this electro-mechanical device, the control system that was developed, will be discussed as part of this talk.

Luscher's collaborator has been Carolyn Sommerich, associate professor at Ohio State in the Department of Integrated Systems Engineering and greatly contributed to the ergonomics issued raised by this on this project. This work has been funded by Honda, Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation, Stanley Assembly Tools and General Motors.

About the speaker

Anthony Luscher is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The Ohio State University. Luscher received his PhD in mechanical engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY in 1995. Luscher received several awards including the Honda-OSU Partnership Award in 2005, Boyer Award for Excellence in Teaching Innovation in 2004, Lumley Research Award in 2002 and Lumley Interdisciplinary Research Award also in 2002, all from the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University. He also won the Department Teaching Award from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at RPI in 1995. He is also the associate editor of Assembly Automation.

Luscher's research interests include the simulation and development of innovative joining and fastening systems, development of kinematic constraint tools for rating assembly systems, fastenerless joining systems, and the ergonomics and simulation of handheld direct current torque tools.