HUMAN FACTOR ENGINEERING

Experiment No 13

Design Ergonomic Bench for the Male Student

Submitted to:
Dr. Sadaf Zahoor
Submitted by:
Mirza Abdul Rehman Baig
Registration No:
2019-IM-20

INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

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Contents
Objectives: .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Problem statement: ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Theory: .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Anthropometry in ergonomics: .................................................................................................................... 3
Anthropometric data: ................................................................................................................................... 3
Static (Structural) Anthropometry: ............................................................................................................... 5
Birth of static anthropometry ....................................................................................................................... 5
Dynamic (Functional) Anthropometry .......................................................................................................... 5
Anthropometrical Diversity Design: .............................................................................................................. 5
Applications: ................................................................................................................................................. 5
Anthropometric data depends on: ............................................................................................................... 6
Data collection: ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Anthropometric Data .................................................................................................................................. 10
Schematic for data collection ..................................................................................................................... 10
Statistics for measured anthropometric dimensions for male students ....................................................... 10
Procedure:................................................................................................................................................... 11
Design: ........................................................................................................................................................ 11
Design parameters ...................................................................................................................................... 12
Comments and conclusion: ......................................................................................................................... 12
REFERENCES: ............................................................................................................................................... 13

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 Experiment # 13

Objectives:
To design ergonomic bench for the male student based on available anthropometric data

Problem statement:
Natural variation within humans of same group, class, age, gender etc. is fundamental and must be
taken into account while assessment, evaluation and design of ergonomically efficient
products/workstations etc.

Theory:
Anthropometry is a science for acquiring systematic measurements of the human body.
Anthropometry was first used in the 19th century as a technique used among physical
anthropologists to research about human diversity and evolution in both living and extinct
populations.

In particular, such anthropometric methods have traditionally been used as a way of associating
racial, cultural and psychological features with physical characteristics. Specifically,
anthropomorphic dimensions include scale (e.g. height, weight, surface area, and volume),
structure (e.g. sitting vs. standing height, shoulder and hip width, arm/leg length, and neck
circumference) and composition (e.g., percentage of body fat, water content, and lean body weight)
of humans.

Anthropometry in ergonomics:
In ergonomics, anthropometry is used as the basis for establishing a workstation. In
anthropometric studies, measurements of population dimensions are made on the basis of
population size and strength capabilities and differences. The three principles of ergonomic design
focused on anthropometry are the design for the range, the design for the extreme and the design
for the average. The aim of applying anthropometric concepts to the workplace is to improve
human efficiency, control fatigue and prevent accidents.

Anthropometric data:
Anthropometric data were used to analyze human body measurement for anthropological
categorization and comparison. It includes body measurements, such as height, weight and hand

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size, and functional measurements, particularly as to how far people can reach in different
directions.
The distribution of these measurements in a population appears to follow a conventional "bell-
shaped" curve as shown in Figure 6.2. Design for the middle 90 percent of this variation has been
a common practice. However, this strategy may exclude the smallest 5% and the largest 5%, who
are likely to find the product difficult or impossible to use. In fact, the numbers excluded are likely
to be much larger, since those excluded by height may not be the same as those excluded by length
of arm, etc.

Figure 1:Typical variation of anthropometric measurement.

It is also necessary to take into consideration the difference in the distribution of data by gender,
age and geographical location. For example, a product that includes 90 per percent of UK males
may include only a small proportion of UK females, a small proportion of males over 75 percent
or less than 90 percent of males from another country.
Anthropometric data is fairly easy to find, with basic data available in many countries. However,
consistency between different data sets, and even within the same data set, is difficult
to detect. Data for apparently similar measurements are often obtained using separate population
samples, making more thorough comparative analysis difficult. Recently, some attempts have been
made to consider differences in measurements by age.
For example, the United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) released separate data
for children (Norris and Wilson, 1995), adults (Peebles and Norris, 1998) and older adults (Smith
et al., 2000). This offers a valuable introduction to anthropometric variations that might be
correlated with an aging population.

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Static (Structural) Anthropometry:
Its point of focus is skeletal dimensions. It measures the distance of bones between joint centers,
including certain soft tissue measurements in contour dimensions (includes the wobbly stuff that
covers our bodies - muscle, fat, skin, bulk). It's not about clothes or packages. Measures to refer to
a naked person (with some adjustments)

Birth of static anthropometry

For the first time these measurements were made by a Belgian mathematician (Quetelet, 1870)
who tried to fit data to a Gaussian curve.

Dynamic (Functional) Anthropometry

In this type distances are measured while the body is in motion or engaging in physical activity. It
includes reach (e.g. may be arm plus extended torso), clearance (e.g. two persons via a doorway),
volumetric data (kinetosphere)

Anthropometrical Diversity Design:

Ergonomic designs are not always suitable for each person, the extremes will always be
exceptional cases for special accommodation Anthropometric extremes could be structural
dimensions (bones) or contour dimensions (soft tissues), anthropometric Diversity Ergonomic
designs must fit a wide range of user dimensions, usually from a 5th percentile woman to a 95th
percentile man.

Applications:
Anthropometry has significant role in:

➢ Industrial designs
➢ Designing of clothes
➢ Ergonomics and architecture, where statistical data on the distribution of body
measurements in the population are used to optimize goods.

Advantages of anthropometry:
➢ Product is made to be used by maximum number of people
➢ Higher productivity

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 ➢ Reduction in work related injuries when anthropometry is considered while designing a
workplace.
➢ sale of product increases
➢ Ergonomic hazards and risks are minimized.

Anthropometric data depends on:

➢ Race
➢ Culture
➢ Gender etc

Measurements of anthropometry/data are important when designing any product/workstation,

etc. The following steps should be considered for the successful design of the
products/workstations.

1. Make the decision for whom you're designing:

Anthropometry tables have measurements of various body parts for men and women, classified
into different nationalities and age groups, from children to aged people. So first of all, you
need to know exactly for whom you're designing a product. The community of people you're
designing for is called the user population.

If you were designing an office chair, you would need to find measurements for adults of
working age and not for children or the elderly. If you were designing a product for your house,
such as a kettle, the user group will include everyone except the young children.

2. Decide which body measurements are relevant:

You need to know which areas of the body are important to your design. For example, if you
were designing a cell phone, you would need to consider the width and length of the hand, the
size of fingers, and grip. You wouldn't be too interested in the height or weight of the user
(though the weight of the phone may be important!)

3. Decide whether you are designing for the 'average' or extremes:

Nobody is 'average' in all measurements of the body. Somebody might claim that they are of
average height but longer than the average hand length. This is also referred to as design
for maximum or minimum. The differences in people's size and shape also tells us that if you
design to suit yourself, it would only match people who are the same size and shape as you,
and you could 'design out' others

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While designing for relevant users, percentiles are used in ergonomics instead of percentages.

a. Percentile:

Percentiles are shown in anthropometry tables which tell you whether the measurement
given in the tables relates to the 'average' person, or to someone who is above or below
the average in a certain dimension. It is the value below which, in a group of
observations, the given percentage age of observations falls. If you look at the heights
of a group adults , you'll possibly discover that most of them look about of same height.
Some may be noticeably taller, and some may be noticeably shorter. This 'same height'
is close to the average (called the 'mean' in statistics) and is seen in anthropometry
tables as the fiftieth percentile, also written as '50th percentile.' This means that this is
the most probable height in a group of people. If we were to plot a graph of the heights
(or most other dimensions) of our group of people, it would look like this:

Figure 2:Percentile Plots

First, note that the graph is symmetrical – such that 50 percent of people are of average
height or taller height and 50 percent are of average height or smaller height. The graph
tails off to either end, since less people are extremely tall or very short. To the left of
the average, there is a point known as the 5th percentile, since 5 percent of the
population (or 1 person in 20) is shorter than that. The same distance to the right is
known as the 95th percentile, where only 1 person in 20 is taller than this height.

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So, we also need to know whether we are planning for all potential users or only those
of above or below average dimensions. Now, this depends on exactly what we're
designing.

For example, if we were designing a doorway using the average person's height,
shoulder width, hip width, etc., half of the people using the doorway would be taller
than the average, and half would be wider. Since the tallest people may not always be
the widest, more than half of the users will have to lean down or turn sideways to get
through the doorway. Therefore, in this situation, we will need to design using the
measurements of the widest and tallest people to make sure that everybody can walk
through them in the usual way.

Deciding whether to use the 5th, 50th or 95th percentile value depends on what you are
designing and for whom you are designing it.

Typically, if you select the right percentile, 95 percent of people would be able to use
your design. For example, if you're using the height of the door, you would choose the
height of the people (often called 'stature' in anthropometry tables) and choose the 95th
percentile value or we can say, you would design for the taller people. You wouldn't
have to think about the average height of the people, or the fifth percentile – they'd all
be able to fit through the door.

At the other end of the scale, if you were designing a plane cockpit, and wanted to make
sure everybody could reach the control, you would pick the 5th percentile arm
length since people with short arms are the ones that are most difficult to design for. If
they could reach control, anyone else (with longer arms) would have been able to
access the control.

Here are some examples of other situations - your design project will normally fit into
one of these groups:

What is it that Design examples. Examples of Users that your

you are aiming measurements to design should
for with your consider. accommodate.
design?

Easy reach Vehicle Arm length, Smallest user: 5th

dashboards, Shoulder height percentile
Shelving

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 Adequate Manholes, Shoulder or hip Largest user: 95th
clearance to avoid Cinema seats width, percentile
unwanted contact Thigh length
or trapping

A good match Seats, Knee-floor height, Maximum range:

between the user Cycle helmets, Head 5th to 95th
and the product Pushchairs circumference, percentile
Weight

A comfortable and Lawnmowers, Elbow height, Maximum range:

safe posture Monitor positions, Sitting eye height, 5th to 95th
Worksurface Elbow height percentile
heights (sitting or
standing?)

Easy operation Screw bottle tops, Grip strength, Smallest or

Door handles, Hand width, weakest user: 5th
Light switches Height percentile

To ensure that an Machine guarding Finger width Smallest user: 5th

item can't be mesh, Arm length percentile
reached or Distance of railings Largest user: 95th
operated from hazard percentile

Sometimes you can't satisfy all of your users because there are contradictory solutions to your
design. In this situation, you're going to have to give a decision on what is the most important
element. You must never sacrifice safety, however, and if there is a real risk of injury, you will
need to use more extreme percentiles (1 percentile or 99 percentile or more) to ensure that
everyone is covered (not just 95 percentile of people).

Think about other human factors

➢ You may need to apply clothing corrections. Have you been allowed to shoe heights?
You usually add 20mm for flat shoes, and more if you think users are wearing high
heels. If your product is to be used in cold weather, can it still be used if someone is
wearing gloves or other bulky clothing?
➢ It is necessary to take into account the strength of your users, the environmental
conditions and the space in which they have to perform their tasks. If you were
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 developing equipment for adjusting car wheels, for example, it is more than possible
that they will have to be used in cold and rainy weather.
➢ People need to grip harder if their hands are wet and cold, and they need more strength
to perform tasks than they would if they were warm and dry.
➢ You will also need to recognize people's vision and hearing abilities. Can they read
the small labels you made on the remote control? Is there enough light to read them?
Can they hear the alarm bell over the general noise in the room? So, these factors must
be considered.

Data collection:
Data has been provided as below.

Anthropometric Data
Below data has been taken and you have to design a Bench based on this.

Schematic for data collection

Statistics for measured anthropometric dimensions for male students

Figure 3 anthropometric measurements

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Procedure:
• Collect anthropometric data.
• Then analyze the schematic diagram and check for the desired percentile for the design of
each part of bench.
• Then suggest a design with detailed percentiles.

Design:

Figure 4:Design

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 Figure5:Design

Design parameters

Total height (sitting position) 95th percentile

Seat height from ground (lower leg) 5th to 95th percentile

Seat depth (buttock popliteal) 95th percentile

Seat width(hip breath) 5th to 95th percentile

Back seat height(shoulder height) 95th percentile

Comments and conclusion:

To attain maximum comfort the whole bench is cushioned. In this way the body parts will be
supported by the curvature formed by the cushioned back.

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REFERENCES:
1. https://biologydictionary.net/anthropometry/

2. (CLARKSON, 2008) CLARKSON, J. (2008). HUMAN CAPABILITY AND PRODUCT

DESIGN.

3. http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/studentdownloads/DEA3250pdfs/AnthroDesign.pdf
4. https://www.ergonomics4schools.com/lzone/anthropometry.htm

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