CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
15 July 2004
Product News
UGS Launches New Version of E-factoryT Jack, Its Human Simulation and Ergonomics Analysis Software
UGS announced the release of Version 4.1 of Jack, its human simulation and ergonomics analysis software. The new Jack release features a "Task Simulation Builder" that makes it significantly easier and faster to create animations in which digital humans perform a variety of tasks.
Jack helps enterprises in various industries to improve the ergonomics of product designs and workplace tasks. The software enables users to position biomechanically accurate digital humans of various sizes in virtual environments, assign them tasks and analyze their performance. Jack (and Jill) digital humans can tell engineers what they can see and reach, how comfortable they are, when and why they're getting hurt, when they're getting tired and other important ergonomics information. This information helps organizations design safer and more effective products faster and for less cost.
"The new release of Jack gives companies the ability to put digital humans to work with unparalleled speed and simplicity," said Al Hufstetler, vice president of digital manufacturing product management at UGS. "The new Task Simulation Builder enables users to create complex animations of human tasks by issuing simple, intuitive commands. For instance, getting a Jack digital human to pick up a part, walk it across a work cell and place it on a rack involves using commands that are as straightforward as if I asked a real person to do it."
Ergonomists and industrial engineers typically create animations to analyze how long a sequence of workplace tasks will take or whether different-sized humans can accomplish the tasks. Jack's new Task Simulation Builder provides functionality to support both types of analyses. The tool includes task timing standards based on the MTM-1 system that enable users to accurately predict how long tasks take. Different-sized digital humans can also be swapped into a simulation to assess whether smaller or larger people would face any obstacles in performing a given task.
While the Task Simulation is the most significant addition to the Jack software, hundreds of other enhancements are included in Version 4.1. The performance of the Jack motion capture toolkit has been improved to work more closely with Motion Analysis and Vicon motion capture systems. Graphics performance has also been enhanced, as has the ability to work with JT geometry. JT, an open standard, is a lightweight data format that enjoys widespread use in the automobile and aerospace industries and is equally suitable for all manufacturing industry applications.
"This new release of Jack dramatically advances our users' ability to quickly create animations of workplace tasks, to analyze the efficiency of those tasks and to perform 'what-if' scenarios to optimize task performance," said Hufstetler. "The introduction of the Task Simulation Builder significantly strengthens the ability of the overall E-factory solution to help manufacturers ensure that their workers are performing their jobs safely and efficiently."
E-factoryT is a digital manufacturing solution from UGS that increases the profitability of manufacturers by improving the way their products are built. Developed specifically for companies with complex manufacturing processes whose success depends on bringing more products to market faster and for less cost, E-factory promotes efficient collaboration and informed decision-making, enables rapid response to product design changes, facilitates the use of best practices and ensures that defined processes will achieve anticipated results. E-factory is unique in the PLM industry because it brings together a comprehensive suite of industry-leading applications with a solid, production-proven data management foundation spanning the entire product lifecycle.
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