How Virtual Reality is Changing the Manufacturing Game
Virtual Reality is no longer just a toy for professional gamers. The technology is rapidly making its way into the manufacturing realm.
Image credit: cmtc.com
Giant manufacturers are already embracing it, aware of the benefits that the technology can bring to their plants and workers. This wide-spreading acceptance of the technology is likely to cause a drop in the prices, eventually making it accessible for small and medium manufacturers willing to step up their game.
What is Virtual Reality? According to the Virtual Reality Society, VR is “a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person. That person becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and whilst there, is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions.”
It sounds – and is – a very futuristic technology, but it is actually very easy to use for manufacturing workers. So how is VR expected to benefit the manufacturing industry? In three different ways: by improving worker safety, creating better products, and saving manufacturers money.
Improving Worker Safety
VR can help to prevent accidents in the factory in two main ways. It allows plant managers to simulate the production process to identify potentially dangerous situations and it allows workers to immerse themselves in the workstation to evaluate the task feasibility and proficiency. Using VR, automotive giant Ford has reduced the injury rate of employees by an eye-opening 70%.
Creating Better Products
VR goggles allow workers and engineers to visualize how the final part is expected to be and how the different component should be assembled to achieve the best result. Manufacturing powerhouses like Lockheed Martin, Ford, and Boeing, actively use VR to fine-tune their parts, boosting their accuracy and enabling engineers to work much faster
Saving Money
Prototyping is an expensive process. Manufacturers are often forced to create prototypes to test them and make sure that the product specifications are met. VR can substantially cut this process without affecting the results.
As most of the new technologies entering the manufacturing industry, there’s still endless room for growth for VR, but the technology is expected to improve dramatically over the course of the next 5 years. This is great news for small and medium manufacturers and others not yet engaging with VR technology as, by the time its usage becomes more widespread, any kinks will be ironed out allowing them to work with the very best version of VR available.