Simulation, human factors, and innovation in work system design

由于缺乏对人为因素的关注，新制造方法带来的生产率提高是否受到了损害？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未来的工作场所，但这项技术很少考虑到人的能力和局限性。这项NSERC“发现”研究计划将开发新的方法，利用最新的计算机模拟技术，将关键的“人为因素”整合到工厂设计中。“人因工程”旨在利用有关人的知识来改善我们的工作方式，以提高生产力，同时也为员工提供更好的安全和福祉-这是一个双赢的主张。世界卫生组织报告称，与工作有关的疾病造成的损失高达全球国内生产总值的4%。通过将人类特征，如我们在工作时间上的自然变化或我们在一天中如何疲劳，纳入计算机模型，就有可能检查拟议的工厂设计与人类操作员之间的“匹配”。该研发计划将开发和验证新的仿真方法，以帮助设计团队在设计工作中考虑人类。考虑创新概念的公司，例如精益平行流程而不是串行生产线生产，可以使用模拟来确保他们在不牺牲劳动力的情况下达到预期目标。但是，当公司一个部门的收益导致另一个部门的损失时，会发生什么？在这里，整个公司的模拟，有时被称为“微观世界”，可以帮助管理者在几秒钟内检查他们的选择的长期影响。这对于管理“人为因素”特别有帮助，因为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。该计划将适应当前的仿真技术，以帮助设计师评估其设计中的人力和生产力标准，而无需大量的改造成本或最后一刻的更改。发展高效、可持续的创新型工作场所对加拿大未来的发展至关重要。仿真技术可以帮助我们实现这一目标——如果我们现在就开发出它人性化的一面。

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.