MACHINERY MANUFACTURING

XR Tech In The Equipment And Machinery Manufacturing Industry

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The manufacturing industry is critical in the growth and development of a nation’s economy. That is why, many companies in the industrial space strive to improve their processes. The aim is to make their team and equipment more efficient and productive. At the same time, they plan to make their workflows more cost-effective. In this context, technology solutions become crucial.  

Extended reality (XR) is becoming increasingly valuable in improving production and process-led workflows. XR technologies include Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual reality (VR). Through XR, the manufacturing industry can access mission-critical solutions, including 3D modeling, remote assistance, web conferencing, all the way to the metaverse.

What is Extended Reality (XR) Technology?

XR is an umbrella term used to describe immersive technologies and interactive experiences, including Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual Reality (VR). These immersive technologies show the reality we experience by combining the real and virtual worlds.

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AR involves using virtual information and other objects in the real world. It provides people access to digital details or media that enhances real-world activities. These digital details include text, images, animation, 3D models, and real-time AR metaverse. Users can access these interactive experiences of blended virtual worlds through smart devices. These include smartphones, tables and AR glasses.

Virtual reality is the opposite of augmented reality. VR immerses users in a simulated digital environment during a VR experience. The equipment and machinery manufacturing industries are some of the latest adopters of VR. It provides several opportunities to improve their operations and grow sales. To interact with virtual reality, users must use a head-mounted display or VR headset to get a 360 -degree view of their artificial world. The entertainment and gaming industries first adopted virtual reality. However, other industries are starting to use it for their processes.

MR involves the co-existence of digital and real-world objects interacting in real-time. It is the latest development in the immersive technology industry and is often called hybrid reality. MR requires a Mixed Reality headset like the HoloLens 2. Microsoft's HoloLens 2 allows users to interact with digital objects in a natural way. Currently, many companies are researching and exploring ways to capitalize on the potential of MR to solve problems, drive initiatives and improve their business.

Uses Cases for XR Technology

Extended Reality (XR) is a critical technology to enhance production, reduce cost and drive productivity. Below you can find some critical use cases for XR technologies in the machinery manufacturing industry.

AR Remote Assistance

The supply chains of the equipment and machinery manufacturing industry are global. If there is a slight downtime in any factory, it can affect the production rate in several manufacturing lines. This makes minimizing downtime a priority for manufacturing companies. VR and AR can help to achieve this. Through remote assistance and (AR) collaboration tools, technicians can seamlessly communicate with experts also leveraging CAD data visualized in their field of view.

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Rapid Product Development

XR provides manufacturing companies significant opportunities to speed up their product development rate. Research from PWC, predicts that by 2030, VR and AR implemented in product development can generate $1.5 trillion to the global economy. This is because XR enables companies to create a comprehensive environment for sharing product ideas with team members. Several manufacturing companies have adopted VR solutions to develop innovative ideas for various new high-quality products.

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Impactful Training

In the manufacturing industry, employees must work with complex machinery. Based on this, companies must provide the proper support to educate their employees on using these tools. Before XR was introduced, companies spent top dollars to send employees to distant countries for training. Sometimes, they rely on online educational content which may not be explicit or sufficiently explanatory. Today, most companies can use virtual reality and augmented reality for industrial training. They can easily connect with experts from manufacturers to train their staff no matter the part of the world they reside in.

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Process Efficiency and Improvements

XR can provide effective channels for workers in the manufacturing industry to receive guidance to solve complex needs. With this, team members can be more efficient with their daily deliverables. They can meet their targets quicker, improving their overall efficiency. Also, new technicians and engineers can access instruction manuals through remote viewing courses in real-time. They can learn new things and contribute to improve the company's productivity.

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Better Collaboration

One of the best use cases of the XR technology is improved collaboration. With VR, AR and MR, companies can assemble several teams and units to work on a project in a shared virtual environment. These teams can work collaboratively without having to be physically together.

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Improved Sales

AR and VR are helpful for improving sales in the manufacturing industry with the increased adoption of eCommerce. XR immersive technologies are commonly used during sales presentations and strategic meetings. They provide omnichannel marketing for manufacturing companies to improve sales. They can also promote remote sales with improved lead creation processes and conversions.

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Takeaway

When adopting new technological solutions, businesses must ensure they have in place adequate knowledge, training and change management processes.  
That is why, global clients are choosing Vection Technologies to integrate XR within their manufacturing processes. Vection Technologies has developed a range of solutions and critical know-how to support global businesses in their XR digital transformation strategies.