Design and Development of a Torque Tool Testing Rig that Simulates Human Operator-Tool-Task Interactions

For some time now, automobile manufacturers, torque tool manufacturers, and biomechanics researchers have shared a common objective to reduce musculoskeletal injuries associated with DC torque tool use. To attain that goal, a better understanding of factors that contribute to these injuries has been pursued through human subjects laboratory testing, field research, and biomechanical modeling. A testing rig was recently developed that builds upon much of this prior research. The rig provides a means to simulate the effects experienced by an operator using a right angle torque tools, in part, by controlling the stiffness and mass properties of the rig. The rig also uses a database of human biomechanical properties and responses to interpret measured handle force and displacement. This rig will be used to objectively evaluate new tools and identify appropriate tool settings for specific task conditions, such as joint hardness and target torque.