Top 5 Augmented Reality in Manufacturing Industry Use Cases

Manufacturers use augmented reality in their production processes to improve quality, reduce downtime and create a safer work environment. The top 5 augmented reality in manufacturing industry use cases include employee training and upskilling, quality control and maintenance, warehouse management, and training.

AR-enabled work instructions give frontline workers access to consistent, accurate instructions on demand and in context. This helps them avoid mistakes and save time.

Asset Identification

Whether it’s tracking inventory or navigating on the shop floor, AR can help employees quickly find what they need. This can reduce downtime and improve efficiency. For example, when a worker needs to disassemble an engine and identify its parts, an AR headset can display a digital work instruction that shows where each component goes in the engine, including specific measurements for placement. This eliminates guesswork and prevents mistakes.

As the manufacturing industry becomes increasingly complex, machine breakdowns are becoming more common, which causes production delays & loss of revenue. By monitoring machinery in real time, AR can detect any flaws & provide a detailed diagnostic to assist with resolving the issue. It also helps to prevent future problems by identifying potential issues & offering guidance to ensure proper maintenance.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic caused many businesses to implement strict quarantine measures, which prevented senior personnel from addressing shop floor issues. AR enables these key staff members to remotely access the information they need in order to maintain continuity, without having to travel.

For example, a technician needs to know the precise dimensions of the headliners to properly install them on a vehicle. An AR application displays an animated 3D model of the part and identifies each step in the assembly process. This allows the technician to visualize the exact placement required, which saves time & energy, and increases accuracy.

Maintenance

Manufacturing is an industry that requires precision. Using AR, technicians can see the full picture of an issue or machine and access data such as cycle times, potential problem areas, and more at a glance. This information reduces maintenance time and improves product quality.

In a food-and-beverage factory, for example, a process that must be carried out correctly to prepare the production line for the next batch is known as “clean-in-place” (CIP). This procedure involves cleaning and disinfecting equipment before it is ready to use again. To perform CIP, operators must follow a specific set of instructions. Traditionally, these instructions are written on paper or displayed in a monitor. AR-enabled devices allow workers to follow step-by-step instruction guidance, eliminating the need to look away from their task and reducing errors.

AR also allows maintenance teams to identify and repair issues at the source, augmented reality in manufacturing industry resulting in faster turnaround times for repair and resumption of production. Streamlined maintenance processes improves overall efficiency and productivity, enabling companies to deliver products at a competitive cost and meet customer demands.

Moreover, in addition to streamlining maintenance, augmented reality can help increase consistency across different facilities and teams. By allowing workers to reference manuals, schematics, and other critical documents without leaving their work area, AR helps manufacturers eliminate mistakes that could potentially lead to quality issues.

Warehouse Management

There are a number of uses cases for AR in warehouse management, including a reduction in inventory costs and accelerated delivery times. AR can also help new or inexperienced workers get familiar with the workplace, reducing training time and improving productivity. In addition, augmented reality can be used to locate materials and equipment on the manufacturing floor and in the warehouse.

In quality control and maintenance, AR allows for faster detection of issues and repairs, resulting in reduced production downtime. The augmented reality in manufacturing industry technology can display operation times, potential pain points, and the date of the last inspection, eliminating guesswork and allowing maintenance teams to respond to problems more quickly.

The technology also helps improve worker morale and efficiency. For example, an assembly operator could use AR to access step-by-step holographic instructions and visual assistance for assembling complex machinery. This can reduce assembly times, errors and waste while ensuring a higher quality product.

Augmented reality involves the superimposition of virtual elements constructed from CAD or other data over views of real objects displayed on mobile devices, desktop computers, smart glasses, and headsets. This contrasts with virtual reality (VR), which immerses users in a completely virtual environment constructed from digital elements only.

Training

Manufacturing companies have to invest a lot of time and money in training new employees. AR helps speed up the process by providing instant guidance to technicians and engineers for complex tasks. It also reduces maintenance time for machines and equipment, which improves productivity.

Industrial AR software development enables remote experts to see exactly what field engineers and operators are seeing on a screen, and provides step-by-step instructions for each task. The system can even detect mechanical anomalies and recommend a potential solution. This enables manufacturers to fix problems faster and reduce downtime.

Training with AR is a great way to upskill workers, as it allows them to work without any distractions or needing to leave the factory. It also makes it easier for experienced workers to transfer their knowledge to the next generation, reducing the skills gap.

One of the best examples is Lockheed Martin’s use of cognitive technology to help Boeing engineers assemble aircraft. The company used an augmented reality app to project schematic views of parts, their locations, and how they fit together on top of real-world environments. This made the entire process 30% faster and more accurate. It also saved time and resources by eliminating the need to locate parts manually. Moreover, it increased assembly efficiency by reducing mistakes and rework.