A virtual look at ergonomic design

摘要

As the wind farm support vessel sector heads into deeper offshore waters, naval architects and designers have made the optimisation of dedicated crew transfer vessel (CTV) design a prime consideration. In addition to tweaking hull forms, to boost vessel stability and performance in higher sea states, and rethinking propulsive arrangements, researchers are addressing areas such as wheelhouse ergonomics, so as to enhance crew comfort and reduce the likelihood of operational fatigue and, potentially, injury. One group focused on the latter set of priorities is the European Boat Design Innovation Group (EBDIG), which has been exploring a series of possibilities for the development of user-friendly wheelhouse environments. Working alongside a series of partners - including Chalmers University, marine consultant ST Research, operator Mainprize Offshore, seat manufacturer KPM Marine and bridge system display manufacturer Marine Automation Propulsion - EBDIG's mission has been to realise an easy-to-access bridge layout for a typical CTV, drawing on influential design strategies gleaned from the automotive and aerospace sectors, as well as 3D CAD/CAM software.