Industrial Augmented Reality and Industry 4.0
Industrial augmented reality (AR) is changing the way employees engage with machines and equipment. AR technology is a key element of Industry 4.0, enabling workers to make decisions based on data in real time.
AR is a powerful tool that can reduce errors, increase productivity, and improve worker engagement. It’s important to understand which use cases will deliver the fastest, most meaningful ROI for your factory.
Training
Industrial augmented reality training is a safe and controlled way to train new employees without the risk of injury or endangerment. It can help with the learning of machinery functions, reduce stress, improve anxiety levels and relax workers who are apprehensive about their jobs.
AR technology uses the camera and display of a mobile device to add visual information into a user’s view. This may include an explanatory video, 3D model, voiceover guide or a combination of these. The content can be adjusted based on the trainee’s device or motions, making it easier to understand and perform tasks.
In a factory setting, where precision input and assembly play a vital role in making a final product, AR can be used to visualize where the worker needs to place elements. For example, if the worker is assembling a headliner, they need to know where to place the padding, glue and wire harness.
With AR, these placements can be mapped out to the exact millimeters, making it possible to produce a perfect headliner every time. This helps reduce errors, improve accuracy and boost productivity.
The hardware needed for augmented reality is easy to get, and most people have mobile phones with cameras and display sensors that can be used for this purpose. It also enables remote support for businesses and projects in difficult-to-reach locations, saving companies and their staff human resources.
Augmented reality training can be a cost-effective solution to a wide variety of issues in the workplace. It can enhance the learning of both seasoned and new workers, alleviate training costs, lower learning curves and increase employee engagement.
Another big benefit of industrial augmented reality training is that it can be used in a wide range of environments and scenarios, allowing trainees to practice their skills with their immediate surroundings rather than in a classroom. This can be useful in a number of industries, including firefighting, defense, and police.
AR can also be used for inspection, maintenance and on-the-job training, as it allows workers to get information about machines and equipment in real-time. This can save companies and their employees valuable time and money by reducing downtime and increasing production output.
Inspection
Industrial augmented reality provides a way for workers to inspect products and equipment right the first time. This can help ensure that processes and equipment are performing properly, helping to increase safety, save downtime and costs, and reduce defects.
With AR, inspections can be done quickly and easily without interrupting production. In the case of incoming goods, for example, a FARO Visual Inspect AR app can overlay the component CAD model on a video image of the product and identify any discrepancies instantly.
It can also be used for quick checks during machining, as an example, to ensure that holes and slots are not cut. It is a much more efficient solution than using drawings, which require time to compile.
In the case of medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, there is a high demand for quality verification to meet FDA regulations. This can be achieved with a 3D vision camera and machine learning to verify that proper torque is applied or that wire placement is correct.
Moreover, the use of augmented reality increases the speed of identifying errors such as wrong torque or wire placement and can be done for a variety of processes. It can be used for kitting, pill counting and even for drug development.
Another application is in the field of maintenance. Technicians can access senior technicians’ knowledge from anywhere in the world via a smartphone or tablet to support them in troubleshooting industrial augmented reality and solving issues that arise in their daily work.
The combination of augmented reality and machine learning allows for more precise identification of mistakes than traditional methods. The software can also be configured to recognize multiple parts at the same time for more efficient operations.
The software can be connected to an MES or PLC system for automated recognition of the parts, and it can include a wide range of work instructions that allow for easy adaptability to product variations. In addition, the software can be integrated with a 3D printer for fast inspections of components before they are inserted into the device. Moreover, it can record all of the details from the inspection in real time so that any errors can be traced back to the source.
Maintenance
Industrial augmented reality is a powerful tool that can dramatically improve maintenance operations. It provides workers with contextualized real-time information on equipment, reducing trial and error while increasing productivity. It also helps identify early-stage maintenance needs and allows for proactive maintenance, minimizing downtime and staffing requirements.
With AR, employees can easily access technical data and instructions that have been created by experts and displayed on a headset or tablet screen. This eliminates the need to refer to a manual or service guide. The instructions are more detailed, allowing the user to work at the highest level of efficiency and safety.
This technology is a natural fit for the aeronautical maintenance industry, as it enables workers to perform complex tasks without touching the equipment. It can help improve first-time fix rates, increase technician efficiency and reduce travel costs for service teams.
Unlike traditional methods, which rely on manual documentation and instruction sheets, AR delivers instructions in a highly interactive, real-time format that can be tailored to a user’s specific needs. It also allows users to view and apply the instructions while they’re performing a task, reducing the time required to complete maintenance.
To evaluate the impact of AR on maintenance, we developed and tested an AR application that consists of instructions for a selected task in a workshop. It was deployed on a mobile workstation and used to demonstrate how it could improve the quality of maintenance.
We gathered feedback from workers during the experiments. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire on their knowledge and experience of the maintenance process as well as on their satisfaction with the current support.
In addition, we measured their cognitive task load and the total time required to complete the selected maintenance task. We compared their results with the average score of the current support and with the application.
In the experiment, we found that the cognitive task load and total time to complete the maintenance task were significantly reduced with the use of the AR application. This was because the workers were able to find and understand instructions faster and were able to focus on the action phase of the task. In addition, the workers felt a higher degree of usability with the AR application.
Design
Industrial augmented reality is increasingly being used by manufacturers to improve productivity and performance. It enables workers to access critical information without leaving their work area, while providing step-by-step instructions that are easy to understand and follow.
In assembly industries, augmented reality allows workers to view detailed instructions on how to assemble components. This saves time and ensures that the products are produced correctly.
Manufacturers can also use AR to track maintenance and service requirements for hardware and provide real-time status and history. industrial augmented reality This data helps technicians understand issues and perform proactive maintenance that prevents costly downtime.
Training is another popular use of AR in manufacturing. Companies can quickly train their employees on new machines and assembly processes with digitally interactive instructions that walk them through the steps necessary. This eliminates the need for expensive human instructors and streamlines the process.
Aside from training, other common uses for industrial AR include inspection and maintenance. The best AR solutions for factories are capable of identifying minute data points from 3D sensors and machine vision cameras that allow them to track the exact moments that inefficiencies occur and show factory workers how to optimize their operations for increased productivity.
By making this information more visible, AR also provides factory workers with an accurate representation of their performance in the moment, so they can identify areas of improvement and make them a priority.
These capabilities can help manufacturers to address inefficiencies on multiple levels, such as engineering, production, and service. The key, however, is to identify which applications can drive the most cost-effective and immediate payoff for each firm’s unique circumstances.
One of the first steps in creating these types of experiences is to adapt existing CAD models into digital product representations that can be layered onto an actual physical object. In addition, companies may need to tap into business systems or SCPs to feed data streams into the content.
By leveraging these capabilities, industrial augmented reality can be an effective tool for delivering a more comprehensive, immersive design experience to users. It can also help designers to better understand how their designs impact the user experience and how those experiences are received.