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Ch14-I044963.fm Page 63 Tuesday, August 1, 2006 12:50 PM
12:50 PM
Tuesday, August 1,2006
Page 63
Ch14-I044963.fm
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WORKPLACE TASKS DESIGN SUPPORT SYSTEM
BY USING COMPUTER MANNEQUIN

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Keiji Mitsuyuki , Toshihide Ono , Yusaku Matsumoto ,
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Yoshiro Fukuda , Eiji Arai 4
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Production Engineering Department, DENSO CORPORATION,
Aichi, 448-8661, JAPAN
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INFORMATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL-DENTSU, LTD.
Tokyo, 33620-5399, JAPAN
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Department of Computer Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Hosei University,
Tokyo, JAPAN
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Department of Manufacturing Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University,
Osaka 565-0871, JAPAN
ABSTRACT

On designing manual operation processes, the 3-D computer simulation model of the workplace with a
computer mannequin can help a process planner consider Kaizen ideas to improve workplace tasks.
For using the 3-D computer simulation with the computer mannequin in practice, this paper proposes a
new modeling system, which enables users to modify the workplace tasks easily and quickly. The
system can record the time, the motion code based on MTM, and the posture of the computer
mannequin integrally step by step while teaching those data to the computer mannequin. The recorded
data regenerate the simulation semi-automatically, and the users remodel the manual operation process
concentrating on only differences between the initial model and the improved model.

KEYWORDS

Human behavior analysis, Manual operation process, Design methodology, Computer mannequin,

1. INTRODUCTION
In the field of manual operation processes, the continuous improvement activity (Kaizen) is
implemented after starting production to reduce worker's operation time. But the Kaizen after starting
production is too late to face the ongoing global competition. Therefore, on designing them, it is
important for a process planner to modify and optimize the workplace tasks as a pre-emptive Kaizen.

A 3-D computer simulation model of the workplace with a computer mannequin can present the