In what challenges of the manufacturing industry does VR help?
Manufacturing is the process in which products are formed from raw materials with the help of labor and machine tools. Products can be food, machines, clothes, refined metals and minerals, wood products, etc. These products may be sent to another manufacturer to make even more complex products or they may be sent for sale. The production also includes chemical and biological processes.
The manufacturing sector is important, nonetheless, it also faces several problems.
Training for the manufacturing industry
It is important that every employee get proper training for manufacturing. If they don’t have proper skills and knowledge “how they all be able to handle all the machines and manufacture products”?
But it is very problematic to provide training for the manufacturing industry to each employee. Sometimes, it may be very chaotic. Manufacturing companies have to arrange different training courses at different sites, because there are many companies that are not limited to only one location, they may have different production halls, different cities, and sometimes, different countries. Thus, companies have to invest more money in employee training.
We should also note that not every employee acquires the same kind of knowledge. Some of them understand each fact in a flash, whereas separate training is required for other employees. Also, it is very time-consuming and it may slow down the manufacturing process. This is the first problem faced by the manufacturing sector.
You can read about one of the solutions introduced by a company from Singapore: VR Training Simulator that teaches how to close and secure valves of complex industrial equipment.
Accidents
The manufacturing sector has a high risk of accidents than in others. There are a number of reasons that can lead to accidents at work. The most common reasons are:
- Falling objects – especially in the warehouse space.
- Equipment failure – this is the most unwanted cause of accidents. Equipment failure can occur at any time and it even poses a threat to employees’ life.
- High noise – can damage hearing capacity.
- Exposure to dangerous chemicals – can be the cause of many accidents and life dangers.
Learning new procedures
Learning new procedures is always difficult for employees. They have to go through the whole process and learn new things. Also, companies demand skilled talented employees. However, it becomes very difficult to choose the right ones. It is a time-consuming process.
See also a project for the energy industry in which employees are trained in Professional Skills.
Here are some of the problems the manufacturing sector faces. Now the question arises, if all these problems occur, what is the appropriate solution to solve them? Can we say “what the manufacturer requires”?
The main requirements of manufacturers are saving money and time. They want to deliver products within the shortest time possible and without increasing financial investments, ensuring the safety of their employees. There are a few ways to do this.
The first thing is to use accurate and effective tools that can help companies meet market requirements.
- Use e-training methods to train employees. In this method, you can provide training to employees on the online platform. There is no need to gather all the employees in one place. It will save money as well as time and it is very effective in coronavirus time.
- Check the equipment at regular intervals. Work in factories with appropriate safety rules and guidelines. Refresh employees’ knowledge. This will reduce the risk of accidents.
- Use virtual reality in the manufacturing sector. You must be surprised after hearing this but virtual reality is the game-changer of the manufacturing industry. It is being used by many manufacturers.
What is the meaning of virtual reality in manufacturing?
Virtual reality gives the three-dimensional structure of any model in a computer-generated system. You can easily show an element and its components, and see exactly how it works. This facilitates the process in which engineers first build virtual models of new cars, machines, and robots. But it is not everything. This solution is even used by sellers of parts and components who are increasingly using virtual shows.
However, virtual reality is more than that. We can now recreate the work environment and even weather conditions with full accuracy. All this to ensure the best conditions for staff training and to teach employees how to proceed.
If you want to learn more about remote online training, you may also like the article: How you can train people remotely using online training solutions.
See also what safety training can look like in difficult conditions.
Why should one invest in virtual reality?
There are many advantages of VR technology in production. Some of them are listed below:
Improve employee safety
If the manufacturer uses virtual reality technology, the chances of accidents are much lower. Why? By learning in a real work environment, people learn much faster and remember better. The manufacturer does not have to invest money and time to train a new person, this task is performed thanks to VR training. In addition, employees can also learn about safety procedures and even take part in a simulation of dangerous situations. In this way, the chance of an accident is reduced.
Manufacture better products
If you are using virtual reality to explore your new model of the product, you can simply wear a VR goggle and see each and every part of it. In addition, you don’t have to go to the seller to see the physical model.
Plan a safe space
By using virtual reality, manufacturers can easily design their floors. They can easily find the right place to set up the equipment to keep the proper distance between them. It helps to increase safety and better plan the location of machines.
You can also read about: Save Time and Money with VR Training
Top companies using VR technology in the manufacturing industry
Ford
At this time when coronavirus is spreading everywhere, Ford employees are using VR technology to access their models in lockdown. They are making the best use of VR technology.
Toyota
Toyota is using VR technology to train a home robot. Teachers of the home robot can see exactly what a robot can see by using VR technology. In this way, they can easily guide the home robot.
Nestle
Nestle had also started using VR technology for manufacturing. They are using it for virtual store design. It helps them to create multiple scenarios for manufacturing.
Unilever
According to the top marketer of Unilever, they are making a library of virtual reality content. They are making it for their brands.
Conclusion
Almost every production sector plays an important role to increase the country’s economy. But producers are facing many problems and are looking for solutions. Virtual reality technology currently meets the requirements of each manufacturer.
Buying VR glasses and cooperation with VR Studio developers is the first step, but when you buy them and prepare virtual training, you don’t have to invest money every time you hire new employees. We can say, virtual reality technology is really a game-changer in the manufacturing industry.
