Augmented reality in industrial and maintenance processes

Mercedes Benz recently implemented an Augmented Reality Remote Support and maintenance system in the pits of its Formula 1 races.

Thanks to it, the technicians in the factory can see from their desks what the technician sees on the car during the competition, when it stops in the pits.

In this way, the design and manufacturing tools in the factory, the designers in their offices, the elements in the wind tunnels and the technicians who are showing with their visors what is happening on the track, all simultaneously.

This joint work makes it possible to resolve in an instant the issues that occur on the track, adding knowledge, experience and all the brand’s technology without moving more people than necessary and simulating the situation in the factory, online.

Direct benefits in the operation

Effectiveness: According to the experience gained in our developments, we know that the time required to complete the tasks can be reduced by 25%.

Expenses due to errors: By having a tool that guides the operator step by step, deviations from the procedure are reduced by 30%.

Maintenance efficiency: By working in an immersive environment, the operator is less distracted, his concentration can be increased by 32% thanks to the directed processes and the graphic-sound interface makes the person remain attentive to instructions and possible changes.

Indirect benefits of the process or maintenance

Optimize the operation by improving processes with live images.

Safeguard expert operator experience in repeatable media for trainees.

Train operators in less time and ready to work immediately.

Reduce accidents and inefficiency in the early days.

Correctly determine workloads by pulling metrics from the system.

How to determine ROI?

Profit: Extra labor expenses covering inefficiency due to distractions, plus the hours it costs to have the machinery stopped, plus avoidable damage and waste, plus expenses related to labor accidents, plus retraining.

Investment: Cost of the simulator (hardware, software, support, maintenance).

If (Profit-Investment)/Investment is less than zero, the return is negative and you do not need to develop one of these systems.

If (Profit-Investment)/Investment is greater than zero, the return is

Characteristics of an augmented reality system

Delivers instructions and guided workflow.

Makes real-time work assignments.

Capture and share photos and videos.

Allows video calls “You see what I see”.

Detects and displays live machine data.

Enables voice and Touch commands.

Mixes content from Cloud, Client and both.

Works on multiple devices (VR Glasses, Tablets, Cell Phones, AR Viewers)

Advantages of augmented reality applications

Add modules as the development of each maintenance is completed.

Redo any module when the procedure changes.

Install on existing hardware models or adapt it to future ones.

The resources invested are maintained over time.

It helps reduce the total cost of ownership because the operating cost is almost zero; you only spend on retrofitting when the process changes.

Other uses of augmented reality applications

Prototypes:

In these applications it is also possible to make virtual prototypes that allow us to “transport” materials:

In remote exhibitions where large or very delicate and expensive items must be brought, it is possible to project the product in the exhibition space thanks to mobile devices.

The product or machine can be duplicated exactly, moved in all directions, positioned in different places and zoomed in to see the details, delivering an immersive experience to the viewer.

Industrial space simulator:

Thanks to current developments in hardware and software, we can create 3D industry spaces, which look virtually the same as those in real life.

We include interaction so that the user can move in space, simply observe his surroundings in 360º, operate the objects and perform actions on elements or even operate the machinery.

Thanks to this, the participant can see in all directions while standing in place (3 DoF Degrees of Freedom) or can move and traverse the space freely (in 6 DoF).

This will depend on the type of glasses that have been defined for the simulation.

We perform simulations of industrial environments such as quarries under construction, refineries, petrochemical facilities, power plants and hazardous or risky sites.

These developments are not only geared to meet the needs of machine builders and those who build manufacturing sites, but also to companies that do safety consulting, best practices or develop services.

TwoReality virtual and augmented reality agency

New technologies are helping us to grow, reactivate business, improve knowledge adherence, attract more customers.

Although the new sometimes seems strange to us according to our previous day-to-day life, they are tools that have come to help us.

As the benefits of these tools spread, more virtual reality companies are being created, focusing on commercial and industry developments in addition to entertainment.

We have been working on these technologies for more than ten years with brands such as United Nations, CSC, Novartis, Santander, RedBull, Janssen and many more.

From TwoReality we continue to create the best content and applications for different devices. Tell us about your project.