Abstract

Live Ergonomics is an research and academic program with OGMA - Embraer, an aircraft manufacturing company. This program will be developed in five years and the main is to make OGMA Embraer leader in the application of ergonomics in improving working conditions and flight safety.

Development

The project has the following objectives:

- Analyze the changes of work ability with age and work determinants.

- Implementation of new solutions for human interaction with the proposed design of assembly lines and work tools, to improve production efficiency and the safety and health of workers.

The project will be implemented in two integrated phases: one to know the work ability of the workers and another related with the study and implementation of new solutions for assembly lines and tools.  

- The work ability analysis will be done using the Portuguese version of the Work Ability Index (WAI). The work ability study will be longitudinal and the first data collection will begin in 2014. At the same time data about the work determinants will be collected by means of questionnaires and systematic observations in the work field. The main objective is to determine the factors influencing the changes of WAI in order to establish work ability promotion measures.

- Optimization of new solutions for line maintenance, aircraft assembly and professional tools using digital human models and simulations with virtual reality. The Workman, HARSIM ErgoVR and models developed in the Laboratory of Ergonomics FMH-Ulisboa will be used. Proposals will be evaluated methodologies implemented usability and user experiences.

The team of this project has the knowledge to a successful conclusion. The panel is multidisciplinary of researchers with experience and publications in the area involved. The project will be developed in the Ergonomics Laboratory of FMH-Ulisboa, where we have equipment and software to support for the objectives of this project. This project is a natural development of the work we have been developing and will get the results that can contribute to the improvement of working conditions in OGMA-Embraer. Also aims to increase staff productivity with more publications in international journals with impact factor and international contacts.

Results (Obtained or Expected)

We believe that the results this project can make a positive impact on regional development. This project is embedded in a big industrial context related with airplane manufacture (OGMA-EMBRAER) that will benefit with the results of this project and consequently, will improve their performance.

We organize this project around the needs of OGMA-Embraer Corporation. Therefore, the main achievements of this project will allow naturally the transfer of knowledge and innovation.