Musculoskeletal disorders are some of the most frequent manual work disorders. Employers worldwide pay high costs for their treatment and prevention. We present an innovative method for designing an ergonomic workplace. This method uses new technologies and supports not only ergonomics, but also a general improvement in the designing of the manufacturing process. Although many researchers claim that there is a huge potential for using new disruptive technologies like virtual reality and motion capture in ergonomics, there is still a lack of a comprehensive methodological basis for implementing these technologies. Our approach was designed using the expert group method. We can validate the manufacturing process and the ergonomics using a motion capture (MoCap) suit and a head-mounted display (HMD). There are no legislative restrictions for the tools which are used for ergonomic analyses, so we can use our outputs for workplace scoring. Firstly, we measure the anthropometrics of the proband. Then the proband is immersed in virtual reality and they go through a manufacturing process during which ergonomics data are collected. The design of a particular workplace or multiple workplaces can be validated based on the reactions, measurements, and input in real-time. After processing the data, the workplace can be adjusted accordingly. The proposed method has a time and economic benefit for workplace design, optimisation of workplace ergonomics, and shortens the time required for designing the production line layout. It also includes optional steps for validation using conventional methods. These steps were used for method validation on a representative workplace using on-site experiments. We validated it on a group of 20 healthy operators working in automotive production (age 22 to 35). A comparison study describes the classic methods of workplace ergonomics evaluation, compares the classic evaluation using biomechanical analysis, modern evaluation using a MoCap suit, and connection with virtual reality. We have proved the validity of the method using the comparison study. The results also showed other potential issues which can be further examined: like the role of peripheral vision or haptic feedback.

This article deals with the implementation of virtual manuals for mass production workplaces in the automotive industry. The aim is to conduct a pilot study as a source for future research and the possibility of connecting virtual instruction manuals to production systems. A system was designed that uses its own software solution for creating instructions, which was connected to a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) in a manufacturing company. The whole system is connected to the company's production cycle. This solution has been validated. Three months after the introduction of the innovation, it can be stated that during the application of the system, the scrap rate was reduced from an initial 12 pieces to a final state of 3 pieces, and the length of time for training newly arrived operators was shortened. The analysis focused mainly on the evaluation of scrap, the aspect of time in this case did not need to be stated due to the high workplace cycle. The proposed solution thus contributed to the streamlining and modernization of production and will be an important input for the creation of a general IoT methodology.