DATA GLOVE APPLICATION IN ASSEMBLY

DATA GLOVE APPLICATION IN ASSEMBLY Ing. Albert Mareš, PhD. Ing. Katarína Senderská, PhD. Technical University of Košice Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Department of Technologies and Materials Mäsiarska 74, 040 01 Košice albert.mares@tuke.sk katarina.senderska@tuke.sk prof. Ing. Jozef Kováč, CSc. Technical University of Košice Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Nemcovej 32, 040 01 Košice jozef.kovac@tuke.sk to production and assembly processes in a virtual environment. Currently are available the data gloves CyberGlove II with 18 sensors from the company Cyberglove Systems and the track device Flock of Birds from the company Ascension Technology Corporation (Fig.1 and 2). Abstract The area of product and production design is characterized by applying of modern technologies. One of such technologies is the virtual reality. The article describes the experience with the data glove application at the Technical University in Košice. There are some application areas but priority for us is application in the manual assembly analysis due its importance in production of many products. Key words virtual reality, ergonomics, manual assembly, data glove, CATIA Introduction Modern approaches in manufacturing and assembly technologies are oriented also at application of the virtual reality. The virtual reality is successfully applied in several industries. Examples include the automotive industry, where virtual reality is used in design of the car itself, as well as in designing of the production lines, simulations of various production processes and visual presentation in a 3D environment. Several research centres, institutes, firms and universities deal with the virtual reality research and application. The Technical University in Košice deals also with the possibilities of virtual reality applications in product design, assembly analysis and solving of the ergonomic problems. Virtual reality technical means In order to build a laboratory for study, design and analysis of production and assembly processes in accordance with the actual global trends the laboratory facilities is gradually expanding so, that after having all planned technical means will be possible to carry out activities related Fig. 1 Workstation for analysis and devices Flock of Birds Fig. 2 Data glove CyberGlove II Mentioned technical means were gradually verified. Integral part is the software and drivers. Drivers and software provide the communication between devices and the computer, as well as the configuration and calibration. Other software tools are CATIA V5 and software VirtualHand V5 for CATIA. VirtualHand (Cyberglove Systems software product) is designed to ensure the 133

interaction between the data glove system and the CATIA. Software creates in the CATIA environment the digital model of the hand that can manipulate with 3D objects. Data glove movements are scanned and transmitted to the digital model of the hand. The aim is to achieve such interconnection of the individual devices that can create a virtual reality at the level of visual perception. For this purpose it is necessary to know the possibilities and limits of the devices. with manikin, palm trajectory and RULA analysis result. According to the RULA analysis this position is not good and it is necessary to optimize the workstation lay-out. In fig. 7 is shown real assembly of car s carburetor throttle and in fig. 8 are results of RULA analysis for chosen body position. In fig. 9 is shown also reach zone of workers right hand. It allows very quick evaluate if all needed components and parts are in worker s reach zone. Data glove using research projects In the first phase the attention was focused on the data glove. Therefore, different concepts of data glove using were tested. For the research was specified a number of areas, but one of most preferred is application of data glove in manual assembly. Data glove application in the manual assembly In the manual assembly is the attention paid to the ergonomics evaluation, time and movements analysis [2]. Application of data glove leads out from its possibilities e.g. what kind of data can be obtained. First way of analysis ergonomics analysis is oriented to realization of real assembly operation with data gloves that allows transfer of relative complex movements of human hands into 3D environment. To this environment it is possible to insert exact model of workstation and human also and on this base using of analyses tools, which are integrated in the CAD system. In case of CATIA it is RULA analysis, NIOSH, Push-pull analysis, Cary analysis etc. human move are transferred to system as a trajectories. Because used data glove has 18 sensors there are 18 trajectories. After gaining trajectories follow the analysis in virtual environment. The gained trajectories are used to achieve such manikin hand movements, which correspond to reality. By this way is possible to model any position of human during the assembly process. In chosen stages are started CATIA ergonomic analysis modules and it is possible to evaluate human position. This concept was tested at various assembly processes e.g. assembly pistons to engine box, assembly car s breaks, assembly of carburetor s throttle. The procedure was always the same. At first at real assembly workstation was realized assembly with using data glove and this way was recorded real trajectories. Then at the virtual workplace which is the same as real one was realized analysis. In fig. 3 is shown real assembly process of pistons placement and in fig. 4 there is assembly process in virtual environment with parts body colored according to RULA score. In fig. 5 is shown real assembly workstation for assembly of car s brakes, and in fig. 6 is computer model of this workstation Fig. 3 Assembly of engine pistons - real Fig. 4 Assembly of engine pistons - virtual Fig. 5 Assembly of car s brakes - real These analyses allow to suggesting some enhancement of workstation. It is possible to run analysis again to confirm that the enhancement had brought the improvement in ergonomics e.g. change the placement of boxes, change size of boxes, etc. By this way it is possible to analyze whole 134

assembly process and based on analysis result to design a better workstation with more respect to human body. Fig. 7 Assembly carburetor throttle - real Fig. 6 Assembly of car s brakes - virtual For the time analysis is possible to use a combination of data glove application and video analysis. The principle of this approach is illustrated in the fig. 10. In this approach is used the one advantage of the video analysis e.g. the possibility to analyze so the video of a real assembly process as the animation of the assembly e.g. the virtual assembly. Obtained results can serve also for determining of the time result precision obtained by two ways in the real process and in the virtual process. This can in the final also to acknowledge corresponds the result obtained only in the virtual environment to the reality or not. The movement structure analysis is based on using of the same principle. All above-mentioned activities realize the combination of real and virtual process. One of the planned direction of the data glove application is the using only in the virtual environment and evaluation of the obtained data from the point of view reality e.g. corresponds the results obtained Fig. 8 Assembly carburetor throttle - virtual 135

only in the virtual reality to the reality or not? The answer yes can to expand the data glow application in the assembly process. Conclusion In regard to the innovative nature of this technology are the practical experiences and analysis at the beginning, but the initial experiences suggest that it is a very perspective direction. There is an intention to carry out by the data glove using for example the complex assembly operation analysis without simplifying, verify the use of data gloves also in other areas and to complete the facilities so that will be analyzed the movements of both hands and added 3D visual perception in the future. Fig. 9 Assembly carburetor throttle reach zone visible Virtual assembly Real assembly Time data Time data Video analysis of virtual assembly Video analysis of real assembly Analysis and evaluation Fig. 10 Combination of data glove and video analysis 136

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