Vplyv sekulárneho trendu slovenskej populácie na funkčné vlastnosti a kvalitu nábytku

When providing furniture to meet the needs of work and living environments—whether during the design, construction, and production phases or while selecting items in a store—we must also consider the generations that will follow us. Designing all types of furniture, such as beds, seats, wardrobes, multipurpose pieces, tables, and additional items, must be directly related to the dimensions and weight of both the current and future populations. Anthropological and ergonomic requirements play a crucial role in determining the shape and dimensions, as well as the quality of the furniture and the materials used.
When analyzing the dimensional characteristics of the current adult Slovak population, it is clear that there has been a positive secular trend in recent decades. We attribute this trend to improved nutrition, better psychosocial factors, and enhanced socio-economic conditions in which today’s population has grown up. While we expect this trend to continue, it may do so to a lesser extent. The values of quantile characteristics of anthropometric features are essential for creating ergonomic, hygienic, and design standards in the consumer products sector. Therefore, it is necessary to reevaluate the suitability of current standard dimensions and capacity guidelines. This secular trend is not only observable in our country but also worldwide, necessitating a global revision of outdated standards. Anthropological and ergonomic requirements play a crucial role, particularly concerning daily consumption and needs. This primarily includes dimensions relevant to the transportation industry (cars, trains, planes, elevators), as well as the clothing and footwear industries. Additionally, in the construction sector, dimensions such as entrance openings and the height of windows and railings must be considered. Another fundamental human need is housing, which represents a dynamic process occurring within the limited space of an apartment. The most important material component of this space is furniture, an integral part of everyday life. Furniture has always contributed to creating favorable conditions for human existence by facilitating
physiological needs, work, and social activities. Therefore, it is essential for furniture to have appropriate dimensions, primarily based on the relationship with users and the activities conducted within the space. During production, manufacturers must be informed about the problems, interests, and needs relevant to the relationships and interdependencies among various factors (anthropometric, ergonomic, physiological, etc.) that are critical for furniture production. Furthermore, attention must be paid to hand tools, as the increase in height corresponds proportionally
with changes in other body dimensions. In all mentioned areas, it is imperative to consider the secular trend and address standards related to height and weight limits in the near future. Anthropological and ergonomic requirements are crucial in determining the shape and dimensions of consumer products. Based on our research, it is evident that there has been a positive secular trend in Slovakia over the past two decades. This change has resulted from improved nutrition and better socio-economic conditions in which today’s population has grown up. While this trend is expected to continue, it may do so to a lesser extent. Additionally, it is important to note that changes in the dimensions of beds, rest furniture, and seating will have economic implications for furniture production. From an economic standpoint, these changes could account for up to 50% of current production costs. Consequently, it is essential to update the calculation formulas used for determining the prices of individual products. The relationship between a person and the objects around them, expressed through the functional dimensions of furniture, significantly impacts work, personal well-being, and overall health. These dimensions are outlined in various standards and manuals, with the foundational guidelines being those valid in the country of operation. However,
modifying standard dimensions requires interdisciplinary collaboration among designers, developers, anthropologists, ergonomists, and health professionals. In static calculations and testing of furniture, the load resulting from the user’s weight is crucial, in addition to any additional loads (Smardzewski, 2015). European standards for testing seating furniture intended for residential use are based on a user weight of 110 kg. One of the primary goals of this paper is to determine how different user weights and the resulting loads influence the size of the pin joints, along with the
specified types and dimensions of chairs and their structural elements, using a calculation method. We envision achieving our goals through the establishment of new standards for the mechanical and physical properties of selected furniture structures designed for users with higher weight and height. These standards will serve as a foundational reference for furniture manufacturers based on current population surveys. Consequently, this approach will impact business processes related to costs, pricing, sales, added value, work productivity, and employee wages. In general, larger production volumes are more economical from the producer’s perspective. This necessitates limiting the production of products to specific body types and user demographics. The goal should
be to create products that are universally usable for the majority of the population. Given that furniture is a long-term consumer product intended to serve individuals for several years, it is essential to consider forecasts for the factors influencing its production. This is particularly important for furniture, which must align with the anthropometric dimensions of both the current and future populations, taking into account their dimensions and weight.