Integrating Flow and Human Simulation to Predict Workload in Production Systems

Flow simulation is increasingly used in the early stages of production system design when basic flow patterns are chosen. This paper describes and discusses a linear approach to integrating load information – based in biomechanical assessment of a work cycle - with the output from a flow simulation to predict cumulative workload. Integrating ergonomics information in these early design processes represents an opportunity for the joint optimisation of ergonomics and productivity in system design.