Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 5

Contact: Brian Judd [email protected] 55 machinery or components inside a virtual copy of the foundry environ- ment. Hand tracking allows users to ‘grab’ virtual objects and position themdirectly, regardless of whether they are in the room or connected via network. Once a layout has been assembled, users can tour andexpe- rience the design. Immersive VR will be especially valuable to system integrators, allowing investigationof production flow and human factors very early in theplanning stages. This type of experiencewill translatewell to all personnel and communicate a design even more effectively than flat drawings. Equipment and Systems Training In most instances, the more closely training adheres to reality, the more effective it has proven. It is nowpos- sible to combine virtual training aids with reality toenhance effectiveness even further. Flat-screen and HMD AR allow text or highlights to be overlaiddirectly on a pieceof equip- ment, helping toeliminateconfusion or delay. Automotive manufactur- ers are beginning to implement AR owner’smanuals that highlight, over video from a tablet, components under the hood and show the user how to perform maintenance and repair tasks. The same concept can apply to training for nearly any kind of complex machinery or process. VR users be able to not only inter- act with virtual copies of machin- ery in order to learn proper opera- tion, they will be able to actually get a feel for the conditions involved in the task. The combination of high visual fidelityandhandtrackingaccu- racy means that users can develop muscle-memory for the operation of equipment that they have never even touched in reality. Safety Training Accurate understanding of safety procedures is a top priority across industries. Not only canAR/VR assist in learning proper operating proce- dures, it can also be used to present unusual or emergency situations more cheaply and effectively. Drills can only go so far in emulating the experience involved in an emer- gency, and can be expensive and time consuming to conduct. Mixed reality training exercises can present users with a full auditory and visual representationof thecircumstances, which is especially valuable when those senses might be obscured during a real event due to environ- mental hazards. Job Aids Applications can also be developed that combine image-recognition software with the display to prompt users based on the exact circum- stances they are faced with. Such a system would be able to help users find a specific part in a tray of mixed parts, or display the proper steps to handle an unusual operating condi- tion. Operations manuals and other references can also be displayed via AR, enabling operators to continue work while accessing helpful infor- mation related to the task at hand. Sales and Marketing Any piece of equipment can be vir- tually setup in even a small physi- cal space, allowingmultiple users to view and interact with the machin- ery. Demonstrations can be con- ducted simultaneously for users in different locations, saving time and travel expenses. Digital files for awhole lineof equip- ment can fit on one computer or thumb-drive, allowing an entire virtual catalog to be easily taken to meetings or tradeshows. While one piece of equipment may be phys- ically on display at a tradeshow booth, attendees could experience a full product line or even complete foundry layouts right at the show. The user’s viewcan alsobe showon a large flat-screen as a way to share theexperiencewithother tradeshow attendees and to create interest. These are early days for AR and VR technology, but the potential is already proving to be limitless. AR and VR are poised to create sweep- ing improvements to design, inte- gration, training and evenmarketing in the industrial and manufacturing arena.