1 Introduction

• A competitive manufacturing sector needs innovations in manufacturing

• Participatory design is one specific and widely studied approach

• Visualisation technologies in participatory design is a key factor

• Virtual Environment (VE) technologies have successfully been applied in participatory design

• Augmented Reality (AR) technologies afford the capability to visualise virtual phenomena

• There could be a great potential to integrate these methods

• A hypothesis of participatory design process combining different reality-virtuality technologies is presented.

2 Aim of the study

The purpose of the work was to improve production systems and the production environment.
A participatory approach and applications of VE and AR type of technologies were implemented in separate industrial case studies.
This paper presents work that has been completed at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

3 Participatory design

Participatory design is an approach to design that attempts to actively involve the end-users in the design process to ensure that the system designed meets their needs and is usable.
VTT has applied visualisation methods such as Virtual Environments (VEs) or Video Exposure Monitoring (VEM) in order

to enhance communication in participatory design process
to visualise the factors of interest, e.g. new production system layout
to bring together knowledge from the organisation and the experts
to evaluate the efficiency of alternative solutions.

4 Virtual Environments (VEs)

Virtual Environments describe environments that are simulated by a computer, and are primarily visual experiences, displayed either on screens or through special stereoscopic goggles, some simulations include additional sensory information, such as sound.

Modern technologies such as VEs, Virtual Prototyping and Virtual Testing have proved to be useful tools in many fields of design and practice.

According to the experiences of VTT with such technologies it is possible

arry out analysis in the early stages of the design process
enable design of the product, production and work tasks
enhance training and practising skills before concretising the system
verify properties that would decrease both the time and cost
evaluate human factors and manufacturability without fabrication of physical prototypes.

5 Video Exposure Monitoring (VEM) – 1/3

Video Exposure Monitoring (VEM) is a technique that uses synchronized real-time (or near real-time) instruments that collect chemical, biological, radiological, and physical agent data, with video equipment that records workers’ and workplace activities.

Rationales for implementing VEM

Exposure to some environmental factors is difficult to sense with human sense organs.
The visualisation of invisible variables in the video picture can help to discover dependence between visible events and some easily measurable, but not visible variable.
The PIMEX method (abbreviation for PIcture Mixed EXposure) is successfully used to visualise invisible physical variables.

5 Video Exposure Monitoring (VEM) – 2/3

The PIMEX method

The PIMEX method is based on a combination of direct-reading instruments and video filming.
The measurement instruments for environmental or other factors are connected to the equipment.
Concurrently with the measurement, the work or other event under investigation is filmed.
Signals from the video camera and the measurement instrument are mixed to give information on the current level of the measured variable.

Fig. 1. Example of implementing VEM.

6 Application examples

6.1. Case 1: Steel factory

6.2. Case 2: Medium size factories

6.3. Case 3: Vehicle manufactures

6.4. Case 4: Contamination problems in production systems

6.1 Case 1: Steel factory - 1/6

The aim of the case study was to investigate the advantages of implementing VE technology in a realistic industrial development project.

VEs were applied in a steel factory to evaluate prior to implementation in new plant investments

safety of the machines and work tasks
functions of the machines.

6.1 Case 1: Steel factory - 2/6

Modelling

3D modelling machines and environment with simulation software
Based on photographs, video recordings and 2D drawings
Kinematics of the machines
The level of accuracy and detail required according to the project groups
Digital human models, cranes and vehicles and their movements

6.1 Case 1: Steel factory – 3/6

Participation

A workgroup signed for the safety analysis
Consisted of a project manager, designers (mechanical, electronic, manufacturing engineers), foreman, safety specialist, maintenance person and several workers

Safety analysis

Safety analysis as a systematic process to identify all the risk factors which may impact on the system.
Risk assessments

6.1 Case 1: Steel factory – 4/6

Procedure

Several sessions during the analysis process
The hazards, danger zones and different tasks were analysed using 3D models and a VE
Animation of the machines for the identification of hazards
3D models were viewed at different angles and different distances during the sessions
The tasks were analysed using animation.

6.1 Case 1: Steel factory – 5/6

Results

Several safety factors in the process and faults in the drawings were detected.
According to the project manager the commission phase of the plant took place without any significant problems.
One of the reasons for success was the use of virtual technology during the design phase.

6.1 Case 1: Steel factory – 6/6

Fig. 2. Examples of machines and manual tasks in a manufacturing process models in VE

6.2 Case 2: Medium size factories – 1/2

The aims of the case studies were by implementing VE to improve

• Capacity

• Production efficiency

• Safety and ergonomics

Case studies in a

• food factory,

• factory for plastics injection moulded products,

• factory producing paper products

6.2 Case 2: Medium size factories – 2/2

Problems identified with VE (examples)

collision points, narrow workplaces, uncomfortable or unsafe working heights, pillar location faults, contamination risks.

Findings from the implementation of VE

• increase of communication between workers, designers, health personnel and company supervisors and managers

• fast redesign of the identified problematic targets

6.3 Case 3: Vehicle manufactures – 1/2

The aim of the case studies was to study the possibilities to analyse and enhance Human-machine systems with dynamics simulation and visualisation in designing mobile working machines.

The studies included:

• Implementation of virtual prototypes, simulation data visualised in VE, posture analysis and other ergonomics analyses

Simulation with VE or AR systems, like VEM systems (e.g. PIMEX), is feasible and effective in model verification.

6.3 Case 3: Vehicle manufactures – 2/2

6.4 Case 4: Contamination problems in production systems

Problem: •Contamination affected products in a production line where an increased level of cleanliness was required.

Analysis: •The production system included several machines and manipulators, • The particle concentration in the production line had a cyclic nature. •VEM videos showed that the cause of contamination was one of the pneumatic manipulators.

Result: • When the cause of contamination was identified it was easy to find a solution to this problem.

7 Application fields and future development - 1/4

According to the case study findings:

AR/VR technologies are potential tools for

• handling the information in design

• enhancing innovativeness during the process

• enhancing the quality of designs

• enhancing the design process itself.

7 Application fields and future development - 2/4

According to the case studies VR and AR technologies have several synergetic advantages. In fact, they could be implemented in design process flexibly according to the needs of information. Existing information on a production system to be enhanced is very useful in designing a new one, and is usually in the form of “reality”.

The integration of “reality tools” (AR) and “virtuality tools” (VE)

(rather than the diverse use of the tools) will be the key issue for developing the design process, production systems and the environment.

7 Application fields and future development – 3/4

Fig. 5. The diverse use of the “reality tools” and “virtuality tools” (VE) (A), and the integration of the tools (B).

7 Application fields and future development – 4/4

A hypothesis of participatory design process:

Different reality - virtuality technologies can be integrated during the different phases of participatory design process, and the integration will enhance the design process when focusing towards enhanced production systems and environment.

5. Conclusions

Virtuality - reality technologies have evolved during the last decade, but need still improvements into its usability, integration ability, and technological aspects such as display technology, haptics, and motion capture.

To increase the implementations of virtuality - reality technology in the design of production systems, improvements must also be made to the design procedures.

Implementing a number of different virtual technologies rather than just one could provide more beneficial advantages during the design process.

Acknowledgements

The study was funded by Tekes (National Technology Agency of Finland).

VTT is partner of the Innovative Production Machines and Systems (I*PROMS) Network of Excellence (http://www.iproms.org).

Participatory innovative design technology tools for enhancing production systems and environment

T. Määttä, J. Viitaniemi, A. Säämänen, K. Helin, S.-P. Leino and K. Heinonen

VTT Industrial Systems, Tampere, Finland