Ergonomics assessment of the overhead maintenance of vehicle-mounted radar antenna using digital human modelling

Abstract

The maintenance of vehicle-mounted radar antenna (VMRA) is a typical overhead work by manual handling, where exertions, awkward postures and approaching the ends of range of motion are often necessitated. When performing the maintenance tasks, workers are likely to be exposed to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), which may generate impingement, rotator cuff injury, tendonitis, and localized muscle fatigue. To reduce the occurrence probability of WMSDs and provide effective suggestions for workers in the maintenance of VMRA, digital human modelling (DHM) is employed to evaluate, interpret, and visualize the negative impacts resulting from improper working posture. Based on task simulation builder (TSB), several methods are employed and integrated for ergonomics assessment of the maintenance of VMRA, including metabolic energy expenditure (MEE) rate, comfortability of upper limb joints, working posture analysis with Ovako working posture analysis system (OWAS), and working risk analysis with rapid upper limb assessment (RULA). Ergonomics assessment results are as follows: (1) screwing out bolts results in the most total metabolic cost; (2) disassembly sequence 4 ​→ ​3 → 2 ​→ ​1 contributes to the highest comfortability of upper limb joints; (3) the discomfort rating of working posture is high, and upper arm and neck face the greatest risk of exposure in the maintenance of VMRA.