The Method of Predicting the Maintenance Time of Mechanical Products Based on Virtual Prototype

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to predict the mechanical product maintenance time in the absence of a physical prototype or similar product statistics throughout the design stage. Method: According to the theory of time accumulative estimation method, a product maintenance time prediction method framework based on a virtual prototype was constructed, which described the prediction process. The virtual maintenance environment containing virtual prototype, virtual human, and maintenance tools was developed. The virtual human’s position and posture information during the maintenance process was obtained by implementing VBScript language. Result: Basic maintenance motions that constitute the whole maintenance process were classified into 4 categories: body movement, upper limb movement, grasp/replace, and operation. Based on MODAPTS (modular arrangement of predetermined time standard) method and virtual maintenance simulation, corresponding time prediction methods for each categories were proposed. Discussion: Taking a maintenance dissassembly and assembly task of engine as an example, through the comparison between the measured actual maintenance time and predicted time of several methods, feasibility and effectiveness of proposed method are verified.