ILMA Compoundings April 2018 - 14

INDUSTRY RUNDOWN

Augmented Reality
Is Finding a Place in
Manufacturing

Augmented reality (AR) is formally recognized as a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image
on a user's view of the real world, and it is popping up
more and more in our everyday lives. AR comes to us in
the form of the first down marker shown on the field in a
televised football game and in apps to map the constellations in the sky via your smartphone. Should you happen
to purchase carmaker Genesis' G80 or G90 model, you
won't find a user manual in your glovebox. Instead, you
will download an app to access over 130 AR-enhanced
videos covering common maintenance procedures. The
AR helps drivers identify the oil reservoir and gives instructions on how to go about changing the oil.
But AR is not just a novelty for public consumption. It
is a useful tool that is finding a place on the manufacturing
floor. According to a 2015 survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, more than one-third of U.S. manufacturers either
already use virtual reality (VR) and AR technology or plan
to do so in 2018. These manufacturers are looking for ways
AR can reduce errors, improve logistics, maintenance and
marketing, and enhance employee training.
Like Genesis, Boeing has also ditched the printed manual
in favor of AR. Since 2016, Boeing technicians have been

APRIL 2018

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using AR smart glasses to guide assembly of the wiring
harnesses in their aircraft. More than 100 miles of wiring
go into each Boeing aircraft, and a typical airplane has
multiple configurations, each with its own wiring scheme.
Technicians use voice activation to pull up instructions or
diagrams, allowing them to keep both hands and eyes on
the harness. The AR headset can also stream training videos
of senior technicians working on an identical harness or
connect live to a skilled expert. Since switching to AR smart
glasses, Boeing estimates a 25 percent savings in production
time and a near zero error rate.
Maersk Oil has been looking into using AR on its offshore
drilling platforms to connect onshore technical experts with
offshore workers to solve errors and issues with equipment via
a device much like an iPad. The onshore experts can "mark
up" the platform engineer's screen, highlighting problem areas
and helping solve problems quickly. Maersk also envisions a
time when offshore workers' goggles are equipped with AR
to help the workers safely navigate the platform and follow
mapped escape routes in an emergency situation. The goggles
could also display the status of equipment.
Thanks to the high quality and relatively low cost of
devices on the market today, hardware does not impede
adopting the technology. Where cost does become a factor
is in the programs themselves. In addition to software
costs, companies also have to invest resources into training
employees on how to use the programs and the device, and
the information technology (IT) infrastructure to support
this level of computing. When used for training, formulation and assembly, manuals and guides must be converted to
digital format.
With the impending loss of skilled labor because of a
workforce approaching retirement, AR might provide a
quick return on investment. With this type of hands-on
assistance, new employees can work independently faster.
Should they require support, a skilled technician who can
see the problem through the trainees' eyes and direct them
to a solution is just a video link away.

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ILMA Compoundings April 2018

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