On the I4MS Talk of the 27th of April 2021 Valerio Alessandroni, I4MS Ambassador talked about the importance of AR solutions and the benefits and potential to improve workforce. An AR-enabled workforce can perform complex operations with a small initial knowledge. Paperless shop floors, optimized process definitions, and intelligent work instructions can propel organizations forward in their digital transformation journeys, boosting them ahead of the competition and into a new era of manufacturing.

1. Valerio Alessandroni
EFCC - Estonian Fieldbus Competency Centre
I4MS Ambassador
Applications of Augmented Reality in service operations
27 April 2021

2. Augmented Reality
(source: ARC)
In a manufacturing company, the engineering and business groups are often well along
in their respective digital transformation journeys.
On the factory floor, manual manufacturing operations still typically rely on legacy
tools and methods to capture information and share knowledge.
As a result, most workers on the factory floor remain disconnected from the
information ecosystem on which other functions in the enterprise have come to rely.

3. Augmented Reality
(source: ARC)
The risk of ignoring this information discontinuity grows as products become more
complex and the workforce less experienced.
By properly connecting these workers, organizations reduce manufacturing and
maintenance errors while promoting efficiency and spreding internal expertise.
As the factory floor goes digital, the employees should go digital to keep pace.

4. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) refers to the combination of real world and virtual (computer-
generated) world.
A real image is captured on video and “augmented” with layers of digital information.

5. Augmented Reality
(source: ReliablePlant)
AR is a technologically enhanced version of reality, created by using technology to
overlay digital information on an image of something being viewed through a device,
such as smart goggles or a smartphone camera.
The goggles are often voice-controlled, leaving wearers with both hands free.

6. Augmented Reality
(source: ARC)
AR has emerged as a powerful new tool to bridge the gap between the digital and real
worlds for assemblers, operators and technicians.
By adopting AR solutions for employee training and guidance applications, companies
can empower their factory workers with information.
This helps:
• Optimize asset and personnel performance
• Reduce costs
• Ensure product quality
• Increase on-time delivery

7. Augmented Reality

8. Augmented Reality
(source: Forbes)
Introducing AR to industrial markets will likely change how many jobs are performed.
AR removes the guesswork from manual work and streamlines processes.
Technicians in the field will be able to receive live support from remote staff, who can
indicate markings, point out issues, superimpose models and more.

9. Augmented Reality
From product design, to verification and testing, to maintenance, augmented
reality has quickly become a pillar of manufacturing.
63% of Best-in-Class companies are already utilizing AR
33% of Best-in-Class companies are currently evaluating the benefits of AR and
planning to incorporate it into their production processes.
(source: Aberdeen)

10. An example
(source: StartUs Insights
Major car companies are quickly adopting AR applications in their search for another
competitive edge:
• AR services provide the driver with information about the surrounding
environment, conditions and in-windshield navigation
• AR instructions and guides replace long and complex manuals
• AR headsets automate the training process in manufacturing or maintenance of
automobiles
• AR guided picking helps warehouse employees become more efficient

11. Digital Transformation of the Maintenance Technician
(source: ARC
AR is also proving to be a powerful tool for maintenance and service technicians.
A single asset can require dozens of maintenance procedures that involve hundreds
of components and complex steps.
For the most common and critical maintenance procedures it makes sense to create
digital workflows.
However, the growing number and complexity of manufacturing equipment make it
impractical if not impossible to capture every procedure.
For those cases, AR can supply technicians with work order information, asset
diagnostics, video recording capabilities, and remote expert assistance.

12. Digital Transformation of the Maintenance Technician
(source: ARC
With remote expert assistance a remote party can connect to the video feed of an AR
device and provide engineering data and digital annotations to guide the user through
a procedure.
Manufacturing organizations are also creating libraries of recorded procedures that
can be accessed and used on site.

13. Digital Transformation of the Maintenance Technician
AR offers more than just the ability to present digital content such as characters and
images. It can also overlay relevant information for users on a screen.
For example, looking at a furnace through a set of AR glasses could let workers see
information such as its current running temperature or exhaust gas temperature at a
glance.

14. Digital Transformation of the Maintenance Technician
Using AR this way lets manufacturers streamline predictive maintenance programs.
It can let workers see the equipment’s potential failure points, letting them quickly see
if there is a problem and, crucially, identify which parts are at fault.
Replacement parts can then be ordered from a supplier without the need for costly
unplanned downtime.

15. Digital Transformation of the Maintenance Technician
In a factory, even simple maintenance tasks (such as machine servicing) can often be
unnecessarily time-consuming because of the amount of administrative work
involved.
AR lets maintenance crews see exactly which machines and equipment need servicing
at a glance by using an AR device to see product data and history, cutting out hours
spent digging out the information needed for the task.

16. Digital Transformation of the Maintenance Technician
Using AR, a maintenance crew could see precisely what equipment and hardware
needed servicing, including potential issues.
That same system could show them operation times, date of last service, probable
sites of failure, and much more.
AR would take the speculation out of the maintenance activity, which would permit
quicker response and faster repairs.

17. AR boosts efficiency in maintenance
Augmented reality and smartglasses help
improve the productivity and safety of
maintenance and repair personnel.
Easily available instructions and access to
data shorten repair times and improve the
capabilities of junior experts to handle tasks.
AR technology helps maximize uptime by
supporting predictive maintenance activities.
(source: augumenta)

18. Visibility into information
One of the problems today: lots of data is shown on a
dashboard, but it’s in a control room.
When you leave the room to start an inspection round
or maintenance process, will you still remember most
of it?
Smartglasses take those numbers and data with you,
you can check the right data anytime, which save a
whole lot of time.
Not to mention keeping you safe.
Getting the right values makes sure you make the right
adjustments.
(source: augumenta)

19. AR and Digital Twins
Digital twin technology can be combined with AR in manufacturing settings to create
virtual clones of a physical asset
Result: a dynamic, digital model to show technicians how to service and repair
machines on the factory floor.
This kind of immersive AR experience lets businesses put in place a more dynamic and
cost-effective maintenance training program.

20. Where AR should be used
AR is not necessary for every manual process in the factory.
It is important to address complex tasks, since they require the most experience to
execute efficiently and often contribute to quality issues.
Generally, it is easier to develop AR applications for repetitive tasks since less
variability needs to be accounted for.

21. AR in training
Beyond virtual process evaluation, another critical use case for augmented reality is
technician training.
As manufacturing processes diversify with digital transformation efforts, workers can
quickly adapt with AR-enabled work instructions, empowering them to embrace
change.
With a greater ability to manage and communicate changes in operations through AR
training and instructions, companies can close the skills gap and innovate without
delays.

22. AR - the market

23. AR - key market players
Major players in the augmented reality market are Google (US), PTC (US), Microsoft
Corporation (US), Seiko Epson (Japan), Lenovo (China), Wikitude Gmbh (Austria),
Vuzix (US), Daqri Llc (US), Magic Leap (US), Zugara (US), Blippar (UK), Upskill (US) and
Maxst (South Korea).
Other players operating in market include Atheer (US), Pristine (US), Marxent Labs
(US), Inglobe Technologies (Italy), Meta Company(US), Augment (France), Niantic (US),
Sixense Entertainment(US), Intel Corporation(US), Apple (US), Infinity Augmented
Reality (Israel), Facebook Corporation (US), Samsung Electronics (South Korea),
Realwear (US), Dynabook Americas (US) and Optinvent (France).

24. AR - Not only manfacturing

25. Thank you!