This study is focused on assembly or handling workstations ergonomic assessment, more precisely on biomechanical risk factor assessment (for instance musculoskeletal disorder risk). One way of proceeding is to analyze exertions and posture measurements on operators who perform the actual tasks, but it requires heavy instrumentation and is usually not suitable for an industrial assembly line. A second way is to use software like HUMAN, RAMSIS, JACK, even at the design stage. However, in this case, the possible assessments are based principally on static and average characteristics.

In this article, we propose a new approach for ergonomic evaluation using a dynamic force controlled virtual manikin. This is an important contribution in this context, since a dynamic manikin with a dynamic force control leading to realistic behaviour model in terms of motion and force would fill the gap between measures of the actual task and static virtual manikin.