5 Applications of Augmented Reality In Manufacturing

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What Is AR Technology? How Does It Work?

Augmented reality technology combines computer-generated elements with natural factory environments. For this purpose, it uses cameras recording the surroundings and AR glasses displaying digitally generated content. In the manufacturing industry, its range of applications is really large and is constantly developing. What specific applications does it have? Here are some examples:

AR in Manufacturing Training

Training is one of the most popular uses of this technology, as AR provides hands-on learning right on the factory floor. A good AR platform allows generating tutorials that can be run on various AR devices and offers training without time limits, enabling manufacturing employees to use service manuals or checklists on demand.

Additionally, AR training using digital workflow modules, such as Nsflow, improves overall quality by standardizing operations, ensuring every step is noticed and every employee is as informed as the experts.

Increased Efficiency During Assembling

Augmented reality can assist with assembly tasks as well. Mainly when working with inexperienced staff or a new product. Employees can always obtain guidelines and instructions about completing orders from AR platforms. What is especially essential in the case of assembly work is that using AR does not require the employee’s hands. Moreover, utilizing augmented reality lowers the possibility of error and lets to work more quickly. Even when working on highly complex assembly tasks.

AR Glasses: Real-Time Manufacturing Insights

The manufacturing industry uses AR to gain real-time insight into machines and their instructions. Thanks to AR glasses, production machine operators can have current insight into the work plan, track sensor readings, and receive warnings related to work safety. Smart glasses eliminate the inconvenience of frequently using workstation terminals or mobile devices to communicate with MES (Manufacturing Execution System) or SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) systems.

Maintenance Support

Other practical applications of AR technology in manufacturing are machine inspections, diagnostics, and repairs. Intelligent AR glasses directly give technicians detailed task descriptions, diagrams, instructions, and technical drawings in their field of vision, removing the reliance on paper manuals and accelerating the work process. The information guides technicians through each step, offering substantial support, particularly for those with less experience. Furthermore, smart glasses can record maintenance activities, providing a valuable resource for evaluating repair quality or for use in training scenarios.

Manufacturing Quality Control

AR technology grants instant access to digital technical drawings, specifications, and current product images, streamlining the verification of item conformity with orders. Staff no longer need to navigate paper documentation or depend on memory alone. This shift not only boosts employee comfort but also gives the organization a potent tool for quality enhancement. Active anomaly detection via AR swiftly minimizes production losses and customer complaints, effectively reducing costs and elevating customer satisfaction.

AR in the Manufacturing Industry. A conclusion

As you can see, augmented reality in manufacturing has many exciting applications. Among them, AR training, the ability to obtain valuable data and access digital instructions, remote support sessions for repair work, and the impact on quality control processes are worth mentioning. For these reasons, using augmented reality in manufacturing is worth considering to improve training quality and overall operational efficiency.

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