How to Design Assembly Assistance Systems

Empirical research shows that the informational design of manual assembly systems is becoming increasingly important in the light of growing complexity. Assembly assistance systems supply employees with information according to their needs and individual situation. This article aims to present important principles for the design of informational assembly assistance systems. The empirical basis for these principles is formed by projects involving the introduction of informational assistance systems for assembly work. The trends and design recommendations are explained using a model, which illustrates important associations between the complexity of assembly tasks, the demands on the mental capacity of employees, work productivity and the use of assembly assistance systems.