The EN 527-1:2011 standard specifies the dimensional requirements for desks for office use. Some dimensions such as height, width and depth are easily detectable with simple equipment, instead, to check the minimum spaces under the worktop (Fig.1), which must be respected in order to guarantee adequate space for the legs of the table user, things get much more complicated.
The minimum space for the legs, as can be seen in figure 1, is delimited by a template which, as regards the depth and width, provides fixed measurements, while as regards the heights, however, they can vary depending on the height of the table on trial.
Building a physical template with adjustable measurements that can be positioned under the table to check the free spaces is therefore very complicated, also considering that for shaped tables, as can be seen in figure 2, the template includes not only linear measurements but also radii.
To solve the problem, we have created an ad-hoc software (Fig.3) which, by providing the height of the table together with the other measurements required by the standard, creates a virtual shape which allows us, via a measuring arm (Fig.4), to check whether or not there are elements of the desk that interfere with the minimum spaces required by the standard.
Once the virtual shape has been created, with the probe of the measuring arm (Fig.4) the volume under the desk is scanned and, if the movement is not free due to interference with structural parts of the table, the software gives alerts indicating non-compliance with the parameters required by the standard.
Pre-verification of measurements on virtual table model:
Dimensional verification during the design phase is useful for reducing the number of physical prototypes that may not comply with regulations, limiting changes in a virtual environment with a clear saving in time and costs.
Using 3D CAD software, we have the possibility of carrying out dimensional pre-checks on the 3D file of the table to be measured provided by the customer (Fig.5); the formats can be STP or IGS.
As can be seen in the figs. 5 and 6, we created the 3D shape with the measurements required by the EN 527-1 standard and in reference to the height of the desk to be tested.
In this simulation the desk is not compliant due to the interference of the shape with structural parts (crosspiece and leg) and the exit of the shape from the rear edge of the top.
In the example shown here we have deliberately emphasized the dimensional non-conformities, but they could be less evident with interferences of even a few millimeters which would still cause non-compliance with the standard.
For info:Maurizio Marussi
+39 0432 747225
marussi@catas.com
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