Crew station measurement methodology: a quantitative approach

An investigation of the difficulties associated with analyzing the geometric constraints placed upon the human operator in a work setting was conducted. Many workstations, such as a cockpit, have limited data available for creating the CAD models required for human performance analysis. To create a model, a time consuming, labor intensive process of collecting measurement data by hand must be performed, resulting in a CAD model of questionable accuracy. In order to conduct accurate repeatable analysis, CAD data for all workstations must be collected quickly and in a standardized format. A demonstration project undertaken by the USAF's Armstrong Laboratory and the Crew System Ergonomics Information Analysis Center (CSERIAC) Program Office assessed the feasibility of using Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) technology to collect workstation geometry and create a CAD Model. Baseline data for comparing hand collection methods was derived from previous aircraft cockpit CAD modeling projects. This method involved approximately two weeks for data collection alone and another week to create the CAD model. The CMM technology was determined to be a cost effective method for creating CAD models of aircraft cockpits. This technology substantially reduced the time required to build a high fidelity CAD model while significantly improving the accuracy of the data. Using a partial cockpit as the workstation, the authors demonstrate the tools and methodology developed for collecting cockpit geometry data and converting the data into a CAD model.