MAY - 2023AUTOTECHOUTLOOK.COM8IN MY OPINIONHave you ever wished you had X-ray vision giving you the capability to see inside a complex assembly, in 3D? How about an on-demand means to train your operators in complex assembly or inspection processes--one that does not require them to take their eyes off the job, and allows them to instantly recall and scroll through detailed instructions without needing to read from a set of documents and can be instantly updated?Or--before even placing a purchase order with a vendor, being able to model and emulate a dynamic, interlinked multi-station production line that allows you to instantly (and safely) simulate both human and machine process breakdowns, to prove off the effectiveness of your planned safety measures, error-proofing/poke-yokes and defect part containment?Well--now you can!Welcome to the world of augmented reality: a virtual toolbox of unprecedented depth and scope, a world where the physical and the virtual become `one'--giving you the freedom to rapidly design and construct safe, robust, effective products, processes, and operator training before the first piece of equipment is installed in your plant.Industry 4.0Many of you have no doubt heard of the so-called 4th industrial revolution, also known as `4IR' or `Industry 4.0'--this journey started a little over ten years ago, with the aim to digitize manufacturing.There are four essential elements to 4IR:· Interconnectivity: machines, devices, sensors, people--all connected and communicating with one other via the internet of things/ people (IoT/IoP).· Information Transparency: providing operators the capability to make instant, data-driven decisions through collection of immense amounts of data at all points in the manufacturing process.· Technical Assistance: the organic result of information transparency is AR-driven assistance in human decision-making, problem diagnosis/resolution, and efficient, accurate support with difficult or potentially unsafe tasks, to an extent only dreamed of 20 years ago.· Decentralized Decisions: cyber-physical systems are able to make decisions and perform their tasks as autonomously as possible, only delegating to a higher level requiring human By Sacha Porges, Global Director, Customer Quality & Programs, GKN AutomotiveWHY AUGMENTED REALITY IS THE NEXT ESSENTIAL TOOL TO IMPROVE AUTOMOTIVE QUALITY
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