Comfortyping - program for grip comfort optimization (full text in pdf)
Aydin Ünlü
Institution of Human Systems (IHS), Heiligenhaus, Germany
aydin.unlu@outlook.com
Abstract The human hand is constantly in contact with products. In particular, the handle of work equipment,
as a direct interface to the user, greatly influences the perception of fatigue, pain and comfort. Comfortable
handles need right decisions regarding handle design parameters such as shape, size, material and surface. In
addition, the designer must consider many factors such as grip types, coupling types and target groups.
Ergonomic handle design also generally entails using many subjects for the evaluation of prototypes. This
evaluation is purely subjective, and justifiably so, as handle design has a strong subjective element rooted in
the communication of comfort as sensation. But thisalso causes high development costs and development
times. Research indicates that pressure distribution whilegripping has a major impact on discomfort. The aim
is, therefore, to develop a program for grip comfort optimization, based on a digital hand model, taking into
consideration influence factors. With this new program, the constructor should already receive information on
the CAD model about handle design parameters for the design of comfortable work equipment grips, thus
enabling the number of test subjects and expensive prototypes to be reduced. This journal describes a first
approach of a program with a coupled multi-body and finite element simulation program (MBS/FEM
program). For this, an automatic optimization (AutoDesign)of a shape change handle is simulated and then
tested. In the future, a stand-alone program is to be created from this basis.
Keywords: Comfortyping; grip comfort optimization; simulation; handmodel; pressure distribution.