De Re Metallica: An Early Ergonomics Lesson Applied to Machine Design in the Renaissance

Francisco Javier Trujillo, Juan Claver, Lorenzo Sevilla and Miguel A. Sebastián
Additional contact information
Francisco Javier Trujillo: Department of Civil, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering School, Universidad de Málaga, E-29071 Málaga, Spain
Juan Claver: Department of Construction and Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering School, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), E-28040 Madrid, Spain
Lorenzo Sevilla: Department of Civil, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering School, Universidad de Málaga, E-29071 Málaga, Spain
Miguel A. Sebastián: Department of Construction and Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering School, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), E-28040 Madrid, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-20

Abstract: The Renaissance treatise De Re Metallica (Georgius Agricola, 1556) is one of the first works that deals in detail with the state of the art of metal mining, compiling the main techniques and mechanical devices used in this industrial activity at that time. An advanced knowledge of the human–machine set is observed in this treatise, from a mechanical and ergonomics point of view. The main objective of this work is to carry out an ergonomics analysis of one of the mechanical devices collected in the sixth book of this treatise. It is intended to show that there was a certain concern for ergonomics in the Renaissance, long before the first appearance of this concept. Specifically, a mine water extraction pump, powered by three different systems, is analyzed. Current ergonomics assessment methods have been used to perform this comparative analysis. The postural load has been assessed by the rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) and the rapid entire body assessment (REBA). The Check List OCRA (occupational repetitive action) has been used to perform the analysis of repetitive movements. The results have shown an evolution of the machine, not only on a mechanical level, but also in movements, postures, and safety of the operator for the three methods applied. It is, therefore, an example of practical and real ergonomics applied to machine design dating from the 16th century. In addition, this work may be a very interesting tool for teaching, since it allows showing examples of ergonomics in productive areas related to historical context.

Keywords: historical technical heritage; history of machines; history of technology; Georgius Agricola; ergonomics; RULA; REBA; OCRA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/17/9984/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/17/9984/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:17:p:9984-:d:629957

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().