The Ergonomic-Sociotechnical tool : description of the in the European PSIM project developed prototype of the E/S Tool

In July 2002 an international workshop on computer science and information technologies was held in Patras, Greece. In this paper of this workshop the structure, the participative application procedure and the developed software prototype of the Ergonomic-Sociotechnical tool (E/S tool) are presented. The European PSIM project (Participative Simulation environment for Integral Manufacturing enterprise renewal), successfully ended in April 2002, aimed at a continuous and integral improvement of assembly processes. The E/S tool was developed in this project to ensure that up-to-date ergonomic and sociotechnical knowledge is considered in these improvement processes. Designed to be used by employees of assembly enterprises, the tool offers support by means of visualisations and by means of a flexible procedure that offers semi-structured guidance in optimising the assembly environment.