Simulation, human factors, and innovation in work system design

新的制造方法带来的生产率提升是否因缺乏对人的因素的关注而受到影响？创新的生产方法对员工安全吗？虽然计算机模拟技术正在帮助今天的工程师开发明天的工作场所，但这种技术很少考虑到人的能力和局限性。NSERC的这项“发现”研究计划将开发新的方法，将关键的“人的因素”整合到工厂设计中-使用最新的计算机模拟技术。“人因工程”旨在利用有关人的知识来改进我们的工作方式，从而提高生产率，同时也为了更好的员工安全和福祉--这是一个双赢的命题。世界卫生组织报告称，与工作相关的疾病造成的损失高达全球国内生产总值的4%。通过将人类的特征，比如我们在工作时间上的自然变化，或者我们如何在一天中疲惫，纳入计算机模型，就有可能检查拟议的工厂设计和人类操作员之间的“匹配”。该研发计划将开发和验证新的模拟方法，以帮助设计团队在他们的设计工作中考虑人类。考虑创新概念的公司，如精益并行流而不是串行线生产，可以使用模拟来确保在不牺牲劳动力的情况下实现预期目标。但是，当公司一个部门的收益导致另一个部门的亏损时，会发生什么？在这里，整个公司的模拟，有时被称为“微世界”，可以帮助经理们在几秒钟内检查他们选择的长期影响。这对于管理“人的因素”特别有帮助，在这种情况下，糟糕设计的成本可能会在经理选择特定设计数月或数年后出现。该计划将采用当前的模拟技术，以帮助设计师在他们的设计中评估人的标准和生产力标准，而不需要花费大量的改装或最后一刻的更改。开发高生产率和人类可持续发展的创新工作场所对加拿大未来的增长至关重要。模拟技术可以帮助实现这一目标--如果我们现在开发它的人性化一面。

Are productivity gains from new manufacturing approaches compromised by lack of attention to human factors? Are innovative production approaches safe for employees? While computer simulation technology is helping today's engineers develop tomorrow's workplaces, the technology rarely accounts for people's capabilities and limitations. This NSERC 'discovery' research program will develop new approaches for integrating the critical 'Human Factor' into factory design- using the latest in computer simulation technology. 'Human Factors Engineering' aims to use knowledge about people to improve the way we work for better productivity, and also for better employee safety and well being - a win-win proposition. The World Health Organisation reports that work-related ill health costs up to 4% of the world's gross domestic product. By including human traits, such our natural variations in performance time or how we fatigue over the day, into computer models it is possible to examine the 'match' between the proposed factory design and the human operators. This R&D program will develop and validate new simulation approaches to help design teams consider humans in their design work. Companies considering innovative concepts, such as lean parallel flow rather than serial line production, can use simulation to ensure they reach their intended goals without sacrificing their work-force. But what happens when gains in one department of the company lead to losses in another department? Here, simulations of the whole company, sometimes called 'Microworlds', can help managers examine the long term effects of their options - in just seconds. This is particularly helpful for managing the 'Human Factor' where the costs of poor design might emerge months or years after a manager has chosen a particular design. This program will adapt current simulation technology to help designers evaluate both human and productivity criteria in their designs, without the large costs of retrofitting or last-minute changes. Developing innovative workplaces that are highly productive and humanly sustainable is critical for Canada's future growth. Simulation technology can help reach this goal - if we develop its human side now.