Through the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the industry is undergoing a technological revolution that has urged it to reinvent the look, systems, and operations of the modern factory. Competitive challenges both within the country and globally, as well as a changing workforce, require new methods to develop a workforce, including a new understanding of the human worker's role in the factory.
Despite these changes, the industry's driving forces remain the same: Manufacturers have used technology to boost production, improve quality, and reduce costs ever since the industrial revolution began. Using digital disruption as an opportunity to transform these issues into benefits is now their challenge. When faced with tighter timetables, higher customer expectations, and increased competition, companies must decide where and when to invest in developing innovative technologies.
As a result of using digital workspaces, organizations are changing their perceptions of operational efficiency and productivity. In addition to improving safety around machines or in hazardous work environments, digital revolutions in production must also improve worker safety.
Connecting a workforce is becoming increasingly important across a range of industries, whether it's discrete manufacturing or heavy machinery, pharmaceuticals, drinks, or even food and chemical manufacturers.
Smart Glasses can provide augmented reality to employees so they can see electronic work instructions while they are concentrating on their tasks while their hands are on their tools. Employers realize the benefits of increased first-time quality and output, as well as the convenience of modern interfaces.
Smart Glasses is an eyewear device that overlays information onto the user's field of view. With time, it advanced to the point where it could complete complex tasks with assistance from a computer.
The use of smart glasses creates a far more natural virtual reality experience than fully immersive headsets because they combine the perception of the physical and digital worlds. The technology used to create this can be referred to as Augmented Reality (AR).
What business value AR Drives
Monitoring of product operations and conditions in real-time, controlling and customizing product operations remotely, and optimising product performance are all now possible with the use of real-time data as it spreads throughout our factories and workplaces.
AR provides a dramatic boost to the value provided by those capabilities. In addition to improving how users view and therefore access all of the new monitoring data, as well as how they get and follow device operating instructions and recommendations, and even how they interact with and control the equipment themselves, this update also enhances how users interact with and control their devices.
Visualize
In an augmented reality application, photos are placed over a specific location, providing a higher level of visualisation than previously possible. The value of visualisation is indistinguishable from the value of an image. An image can be more effective in conveying knowledge when it provides enough information on how to complete a task.
Provide instruction and guidance
A second crucial benefit of AR, apart from having a wonderful 3D visual representation, is its ability to provide assistance as it guides the user through real-time, step-by-step instructions, such as when assembling products, performing maintenance, or improving process flow in an industrial setting. Having visual aids that are precisely aligned with the equipment in front of you while teaching a difficult assembly process is invaluable, giving you a personal instructor to show you how to accomplish the task.
Interact
The third value AR may provide is the ability to send live visuals seen by an on-site user to a remote expert who can provide further assistance. With remote assistance, users can be provided with assistance from anywhere in the world. A supervisor may also wear an AR headset to walk through a plant and observe all work in progress. They can then use hand gestures or voice instructions to correct errors or make recommendations.
Top 6 Applications of Augmented Reality in Smart Manufacturing
With AR, you can use smart glasses with a camera, a smartphone with a camera, or a tablet with a camera. Using artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, and computer-generated virtual objects, the device can assist users in performing complicated activities and receive real-time insights to assist them in making better decisions.
This application is easy to use and functional, as well as it is augmented reality capable of visualizing data. The use of AR in conjunction with IoT and AI has paved the way for manufacturers to shorten training times and provide worksite workers with real-time information and guidance in product development, manufacturing, machine maintenance, logistics, and customer service.
Assemblies with a complex structure
A Smart Glass with appropriate Augmented Reality software is an excellent tool for complex production processes involving many variations and long checklists. Assemblers using smart glass can view step-by-step instructions, schematics, and other instructive information superimposed on actual assemblies using voice commands. Using a voice command or barcode, special order assembly instructions can be retrieved.
By automatically placing instructional support directly in the workers' field of view, hands-free instruction increases productivity decreases errors and improves safety. It may help employees function more efficiently with better quality on the first attempt, saving minutes and hours of assembly time, as well as preventing repetitive motion injuries and error-related incidents. By utilizing computer vision with visual recognition technology, managers can verify each step through the built-in camera of the worker, adding an additional level of quality control.
Maintenance & Repair
Using smart glasses, equipment maintenance can be conducted more easily thanks to hands-free information, live remote support, and intelligent detection of problems. Machine data and 3D models are displayed in real-time, elaborate instructions are provided from back-end systems, and video tutorials can be superimposed on the real machine. The system can also 'listen' for unusual sounds like whirring or high pitch and create a related repair order automatically.
An expert can view what the technician sees and verbally guide him through a problem using Smart Glasses, which can live-stream the technician's perspective. Reduced travel delays and quicker problem resolution mean reduced downtime, saving millions of dollars and extending careers for the industry's most talented professionals.
Control Over Quality
Smart Glasses that are connected to a company's Quality Management System (QMS) enable workers to access inspection checklists, vocally confirm actions, capture audio notes, call other technicians, and upload their findings instantly. Because the hands-free, heads-up form factor allows QA inspectors to move around, they can conduct hands-on tests.
To avoid duplication of effort and faster problem resolution, employees may use their smart glasses' cameras to objectively document issues as they arise, updating their QMS in real-time. AI and computer vision can replace subjective human judgement entirely, or factory workers can use augmented reality overlays to spot flaws.
Hand-on Training and Practical Learning
As opposed to manuals and videos, augmented reality training is often considered more effective and intuitive. The millennial generation grew up with video games, smart eyewear, and computers, so they also favour it. AR-enhanced programs that leverage first-person experience and telepresence help manufacturers decrease training costs allow faster on-the-job training, and leverage experienced workers' knowledge.
Manufacturing firms can even use Augmented Reality to streamline training. The use of Smart Glasses coupled with near-flawless visual aids that are overlaid on the parts and equipment that new personnel need to assemble and operate will be able to facilitate their deployment more rapidly.
In addition to recording videos with voice annotations, veterans can also use Smart Glasses to record videos with instructions on difficult assembling, handling, and other procedures, resulting in excellent training materials that help their successors learn more quickly.
Streamlining logistical operations
In order fulfilment and warehouse management, employees must handle orders and regular jobs at the same time. Once an order is received, the worker must verify the information, locate the required products or materials, scan and record the data, and transport the order to the loading dock before signing it off. It might take longer to complete this basic yet time-consuming task with all that manual labour.
In developing AR technology, however, workers may be able to find things and products much faster by linking to a system that tells them where they are located. Better still, they could scan the appropriate information with the AR system and then program it to broadcast the order. It is then only a matter of fetching the product and delivering it to whoever needs it.
Product Development
Collaboration is an essential part of product development. With augmented reality, product developers, executives, and employees can collaborate to identify manufacturing process flaws or quality issues before the product is shipped to consumers.
The use of augmented reality can be beneficial to product developers when designing 3-D models and introducing new items to production lines. A virtual model can be used by employees to test an upcoming product's quality.
In the manufacturing industry, Augmented Reality applications are just the tip of the iceberg. When you partner with the right technology partner, you can discover new business cases and opportunities for your manufacturing business.
Enterprise mobility is changing as smart augmented reality glasses allow people to work hands-free and contextually aware while doing hands-on work. Smart glasses offer the most efficient way to record, record, and log task-specific information.
The wearer has the greatest freedom and access, and because the interface supports Augmented Reality and audio and visual overlays, they provide superior real-time capabilities and information compared to other mobile devices.
In contrast, booklets, manuals, and hand-held devices all slow work down or obstruct it. Therefore, Smart Glasses provide a vastly superior user experience. By putting information in front of employees at just the right times, workers are able to make better decisions.
Let’s Wrap up
Smart factories and smart glasses work together to create a smarter, more advanced industrial environment, so it makes sense that they'd work together. Be sure to ask about smart glasses integrations when choosing your preferred IIoT solutions - it might save you and your staff a lot of time and effort as well as assist you in resolving some crucial issues.
Keeping in mind that the application presented here represent only a portion of the total potential of this technology is a critical consideration, particularly for manufacturing and product development. The current market will likely move in different directions from here since there are probable scenarios that we have never contemplated or even considered realistic.
We can help you build a smart manufacturing unit that will improve your business processes while facilitating growth. Digital transformation is at the heart of everything we do, and we have extensive expertise around disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, the Internet of Things, and the Industrial Internet of Things.
Get in touch with us so we can help you define your strategy and ensure a smooth transition.
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