Como a realidade virtual e a realidade aumentada poderiam melhorar a indústria manufatureira?

How could virtual reality and augmented reality improve the manufacturing industry?

From training to real-time feedback and more, there are countless applications for virtual reality and augmented reality in manufacturing – they could even transform the industry.

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AR, VR and mixed reality (MR) market reached $28 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach more than $250 billion by 2028. This is not a surprise given the broad adoption and appeal of the technologies. You know there are critical applications for AR/VR in manufacturing, but the uses hardly end there.

Virtual reality offers a completely immersive experience , digitally recreating alternative worlds and landscapes. With the help of equipment such as headsets, as well as constantly developing tools, the technology digitally projects images, sounds and total experiences, so that users truly feel part of the virtual world — all without leaving their chair.

Augmented reality , on the other hand, overlays virtual resources onto the real world. For example, you can hold your mobile device over a sign and see a real-time translation of the text over the actual text in your native language.

AR and VR applications in manufacturing

Smart glasses

Smart glasses and other wearables allow users to absorb and process information through alternative lenses. Images are projected onto real-life objects, places or people. In production, for example, operators can receive instructions or additional information thanks to images projected in a real scenario, viewing them through smart glasses. Because they are hands-free, they can perform their tasks simultaneously.

Field Support

AR and VR also have the power to provide real-time instructions to production workers. Smart glasses are a vehicle to receive field support, just like devices like smartphones and tablets. Thanks to a variety of tools, technicians will be better equipped to diagnose problems and develop immediate solutions to, for example, repair faulty tools.

An example of AR or VR in field support is the use of digital notes. Workers could view written text or a design icon overlaid on a real image via a device, telling them where to direct their vision or identifying a defective part, for example. This eliminates guesswork – something that has no place in manufacturing.

Security

VR and AR are critical to protecting workers and ensuring they operate equipment safely. It can, for example, help with inspection by providing critical visual feedback as workers use often dangerous tools.

Workers can also take digital notes using AR while examining equipment, providing real-time feedback. This way, they can note potential problems and defects before they become dangerous or cause injury. Meanwhile, VR can replicate dangerous conditions to help workers navigate different scenarios before facing them in the real world.

Identifying areas for improvement

Sometimes looking at your critical processes through a different lens will allow you to reconceptualize how you face obstacles and what you should be doing differently. AR and VR offer a literal alternative perspective – providing new insights. You'll be better equipped to identify areas you need to improve by simply looking at your equipment and procedures through a fresh lens.

Quality warranty

In manufacturing, inspection and quality control are key to ensuring everything is working correctly. Integrating AR into the process will allow you to perform more frequent quality assessments, rather than leaving quality control until the end.

Analysis

The rise of digital tools has meant a rapid flow of complex data. AR and VR combine manual and automated processes, allowing you to collect an abundance of information in real time. Having access to this wealth of data allows you to evaluate your processes and develop plans to improve them further. This is essential in manufacturing, where you are always looking to improve your procedures.

Prototyping

VR is particularly useful in prototyping. The whole purpose of a prototype – in manufacturing and elsewhere – is to bring a product or tool to life before putting it on the market, anticipating how it will behave. VR makes it possible to consider how a product looks or feels without needing to create a physical version of it.

This is much less expensive and time-consuming than the process of building a physical prototype, and you will reap the same rewards.

How can VR and AR transform training?

Thanks to VR and AR, training across industries has been completely reinvented. Manufacturing is one of the clearest examples of this.

Augmented reality manufacturing training provides feedback to technicians and workers on site so they can learn the basics in reality. They can “see” instructions with the help of smart glasses, for example, teaching them how to use tools safely and effectively. Even workers with a low level of experience will receive the necessary guidance without the need to consult manuals, ensuring they are well equipped to operate machines.

VR takes manufacturing training to a whole new level. Before workers even touch complex and potentially dangerous equipment, they can learn how to operate it in a fully simulated environment. This reduces danger as well as ensuring that workers are well prepared before approaching an unfamiliar environment and have all the necessary skills.

Clearly, there is a place for virtual reality and augmented reality in manufacturing. These tools have the power to transform safety, training and the entire industry for the better.

Source: BairesDev

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