Augmented Reality opens a new paradigm in industrial maintenance: instructions instantly accessible, precise, applied directly to reality and with the possibility of having both hands free to act, while we are guided step by step independently or with collaboration. remotely from a specialized technician.
Its benefits for the industry -especially 4.0- are numerous.
What is augmented reality?
This technology allows superimposing virtual information to the physical world, in real time. That is why it is also known as Mixed Reality or Mixed Reality.
Its use is quite simple. We only need a mobile device with an internet connection (for example, a smartphone) and an element that acts as a marker or ‘marker’, whose function is to activate the information layer that is superimposed on reality.
With the AR software installed on the mobile device, we will be able to see the overlay of information that is associated with the marker by directing the camera towards it.
Applications of Augmented Reality in Industry 4.0: Industrial maintenance
In the event of an incident in a machine, with the old paper or pdf manuals, the operator does not instantly have the specific instruction manual to undertake the repair. He will have to look up the manual or inform a higher level maintenance technician.
On the other hand, with Augmented Reality, faced with the same incident, the operator puts on AR glasses and follows the steps detailed in the virtual instruction manual, which will guide him in the resolution.
As the software associated with the glasses recognizes the different parts of the machine, the operator receives precise visual indications on where and how to act.
And if the problem is complex, you can count on the remote collaboration of a specialized technician. We will delve into telecare in another article.
Practical Example: Industrial Maintenance Training in the US Air Force
The US Air Force requires skilled workers in the area of industrial maintenance constantly. And they need to learn fast.
That is why they have turned to experts in Augmented Reality technologies to develop interactive models that optimize training in the maintenance of the CV-22, one of their star aircraft.
Thanks to the instructions created with Vuforia Expert Capture, they have managed to optimize the training process, reducing the time spent on completing it by 20%.
Improvement of industrial competitiveness with Augmented Reality
As highlighted by PTC, the world leader in digital transformation solutions for the industry, 8 out of 10 leading companies in their sector are already planning the application of new Augmented Reality systems in their companies.
And many already use this technology in different fields. In this video they show 5 practical use cases.
Because with Augmented Reality… what actually increases is competitiveness in industry 4.0.