Ergo Draw

Designing items that make life a little easier is a simple definition of ergonomics, but for a relatively new field, that definition encapsulates only portions of it. Creating ergonomic drawings, whether by drafting or using a drafting program, offers engineers an easy blueprint to follow when constructing new devices or processes.

In today's computer world, designing a more comfortable chair, keyboard or mouse can make millions of dollars a year. In the creation of new ideas, ergonomic drawings lay out movements and relative positions of humans and objects. Part science and part art, ergonomic drawing starts on an actual drafting table, but engineers often reproduce the work on CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing) software. This allows microscopic manipulation and demonstration that is impossible with pencil and paper.

A simple design change, such a slightly raised keyboard or slightly longer cell phone can make or break a product, but ergonomic drawing provides a solution.