Virtual bloXing - assembly rapid prototyping for near net shapes

Virtual reality (VR) provides another dimension to many engineering applications. Its immersive and interactive nature allows an intuitive approach to study both cognitive activities and performance evaluation. Market competitiveness means having products meet form, fit and function quickly. Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (RP&M) technologies are increasingly being applied to produce functional prototypes and the direct manufacturing of small components. Despite its flexibility, these systems have common drawbacks such as slow build rates, a limited number of build axes (typically one) and the need for post processing. This paper presents a Virtual Assembly Rapid Prototyping (VARP) project which involves evaluating cognitive activities in assembly tasks based on the adoption of immersive virtual reality along with a novel nonlayered rapid prototyping for near net shape (NNS) manufacturing of components. It is envisaged that this integrated project will facilitate a better understanding of design for manufacture and assembly by utilising equivalent scale digital and physical prototyping in one rapid prototyping system. The state of the art of the VARP project is also presented in this paper

Virtual assembly rapid prototyping of near net shapes

Virtual reality (VR) provides another dimension to many engineering applications. Its immersive and interactive nature allows an intuitive approach to study both cognitive activities and performance evaluation. Market competitiveness means having products meet form, fit and function quickly. Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (RP&M) technologies are increasingly being applied to produce functional prototypes and the direct manufacturing of small components. Despite its flexibility, these systems have common drawbacks such as slow build rates, a limited number of build axes (typically one) and the need for post processing. This paper presents a Virtual Assembly Rapid Prototyping (VARP) project which involves evaluating cognitive activities in assembly tasks based on the adoption of immersive virtual reality along with a novel non-layered rapid prototyping for near net shape (NNS) manufacturing of components. It is envisaged that this integrated project will facilitate a better understanding of design for manufacture and assembly by utilising equivalent scale digital and physical prototyping in one rapid prototyping system. The state of the art of the VARP project is also presented in this paper

A review of data visualization: opportunities in manufacturing sequence management.

Data visualization now benefits from developments in technologies that offer innovative ways of presenting complex data. Potentially these have widespread application in communicating the complex information domains typical of manufacturing sequence management environments for global enterprises. In this paper the authors review the visualization functionalities, techniques and applications reported in literature, map these to manufacturing sequence information presentation requirements and identify the opportunities available and likely development paths. Current leading-edge practice in dynamic updating and communication with suppliers is not being exploited in manufacturing sequence management; it could provide significant benefits to manufacturing business. In the context of global manufacturing operations and broad-based user communities with differing needs served by common data sets, tool functionality is generally ahead of user application

An evaluation of the Microsoft HoloLens for a manufacturing-guided assembly task

Many studies have confirmed the benefits of using Augmented Reality (AR) work instructions over traditional digital or paper instructions, but few have compared the effects of different AR hardware for complex assembly tasks. For this research, previously published data using Desktop Model Based Instructions (MBI), Tablet MBI, and Tablet AR instructions were compared to new assembly data collected using AR instructions on the Microsoft HoloLens Head Mounted Display (HMD). Participants completed a mock wing assembly task, and measures like completion time, error count, Net Promoter Score, and qualitative feedback were recorded. The HoloLens condition yielded faster completion times than all other conditions. HoloLens users also had lower error rates than those who used the non-AR conditions. Despite the performance benefits of the HoloLens AR instructions, users of this condition reported lower net promoter scores than users of the Tablet AR instructions. The qualitative data showed that some users thought the HoloLens device was uncomfortable and that the tracking was not always exact. Although the user feedback favored the Tablet AR condition, the HoloLens condition resulted in significantly faster assembly times. As a result, it is recommended to use the HoloLens for complex guided assembly instructions with minor changes, such as allowing the user to toggle the AR instructions on and off at will. The results of this paper can help manufacturing stakeholders better understand the benefits of different AR technology for manual assembly tasks

The LAB@FUTURE Project - Moving Towards the Future of E-Learning

This paper presents Lab@Future, an advanced e-learning platform that uses novel Information and Communication Technologies to support and expand laboratory teaching practices. For this purpose, Lab@Future uses real and computer-generated objects that are interfaced using mechatronic systems, augmented reality, mobile technologies and 3D multi user environments. The main aim is to develop and demonstrate technological support for practical experiments in the following focused subjects namely: Fluid Dynamics - Science subject in Germany, Geometry - Mathematics subject in Austria, History and Environmental Awareness – Arts and Humanities subjects in Greece and Slovenia. In order to pedagogically enhance the design and functional aspects of this e-learning technology, we are investigating the dialogical operationalisation of learning theories so as to leverage our understanding of teaching and learning practices in the targeted context of deployment

Assembly Guidance in Augmented Reality Environments Using a Virtual Interactive Tool

The application of augmented reality (AR) technology for assembly guidance is a novel approach in the traditional manufacturing domain. In this paper, we propose an AR approach for assembly guidance using a virtual interactive tool that is intuitive and easy to use. The virtual interactive tool, termed the Virtual Interaction Panel (VirIP), involves two tasks: the design of the VirIPs and the real-time tracking of an interaction pen using a Restricted Coulomb Energy (RCE) neural network. The VirIP includes virtual buttons, which have meaningful assembly information that can be activated by an interaction pen during the assembly process. A visual assembly tree structure (VATS) is used for information management and assembly instructions retrieval in this AR environment. VATS is a hierarchical tree structure that can be easily maintained via a visual interface. This paper describes a typical scenario for assembly guidance using VirIP and VATS. The main characteristic of the proposed AR system is the intuitive way in which an assembly operator can easily step through a pre-defined assembly plan/sequence without the need of any sensor schemes or markers attached on the assembly components.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Interaktiiviset kokoonpano-ohjeet

Industrial products are increasingly varying, and the assembly of customized or unique products is slow, expensive, and prone to errors. Conventional static assembly drawings and instructions are suboptimal in supporting complex and dynamic assembly operations. The main objective of the study was to investigate if interactive assembly instructions could substitute the current documents instructing assembly in the case company. Two approaches, 3D instructions and augmented reality (AR) instructions, were developed based on literature review. 3D instructions presented the assembly procedure in steps in which the assembly of the parts is animated. The instructions were based directly on the 3D model of the assembly object. AR instructions utilized the same assembly sequence as 3D instructions. AR instructions were viewed using a head-mounted display, which presented the assembly step animations spatially overlaid on the physical assembly. The developed instructions were evaluated in a user study. The tests were observed by the author, and the participants answered to a post-study questionnaire that concerned subjective efficiency and user acceptance. Both AR instructions and 3D instructions received positive feedback and were evaluated more efficient than the currently used assembly drawings. The features of the interactive assembly drawings address directly the problems of the current assembly documents. Hence, it was concluded that interactive assembly instructions could be used instead of the current assembly drawings and work instructions. However, the complexity of the case company products require that the instructions must be configurable to enable their implementation.Teolliset tuotteet kehittyvät jatkuvasti monipuolisemmin muunneltaviksi, ja samalla niiden kokoonpano muuttuu hankalammaksi ja kalliimmaksi. Perinteiset kuviin ja tekstiin perustuvat kokoonpanokuvat ja työohjeet ovat monin tavoin riittämättömiä ohjeistamaan monimutkaisia ja dynaamisia kokoonpanotehtäviä. Tässä työssä tavoitteena oli tutkia, voisiko interaktiivisilla kokoonpano-ohjeilla korvata kohdeyrityksessä nykyisin käytössä olevat työohjeet ja kokoonpanokuvat. Työssä kehitettiin aikaisempien tutkimusten pohjalta kaksi erilaista interaktiivista ohjeistustapaa. 3D-ohjeet opastavat kokoonpanoa vaihe vaiheelta näyttäen jokaisen osan asennuksen animoidusti. 3D-ohjeet luodaan suoraan kokoonpanon 3D-mallin pohjalta. Toiseksi menetelmäksi valikoitui lisättyä todellisuutta (augmented reality, AR) hyödyntävät ohjeet. AR-ohjeet perustuvat 3D-ohjeita varten luotuihin vaiheistuksiin sekä animaatioihin. AR-ohjeita katsotaan silmikkonäytöllä, joka näyttää ohjeiden virtuaaliset komponentit todellisen kokoonpanon päällä. Ohjeiden toimivuutta testattiin käyttäjäkokeissa. Testeissä havainnoitiin koehenkilöiden toimintaa, ja lisäksi he vastasivat kyselyyn. Kyselyllä selvitettiin, miten tehokkaana koehenkilöt pitivät testattuja ohjeita verrattuna heidän tavallisesti käyttämiin kokoonpanokuviin. Sekä AR- että 3D-ohjeet saivat positiivista palautetta, ja koehenkilöt kokivat niiden toimivan tavallisia kokoonpanokuvia paremmin. Interaktiiviset ohjeet ja niiden tärkeimmät ominaisuudet vastaavat nykyisten kokoonpanokuvien ja työohjeiden ongelmakohtiin. Työn johtopäätöksenä voidaankin todeta, että interaktiiviset kokoonpano-ohjeet sopisivat korvaamaan nykyiset kokoonpanokuvat sekä työohjeet. Tuotteiden monimutkaisuus kuitenkin edellyttää, että ohjeet pitää pystyä konfiguroimaan varianttikohtaisesti

New factory layout simulation and immersive VR-experience preview – case Logset Oy

The decision to build new manufacturing facility is one of the most important decisions for company as it requires a lot of resources. Uncertainty of the future will make the decision even harder for the management board. However, development in technology, regarding 3D-simulation software, Virtual reality applications and accessible computing power have made 3D modeling and simulation viable solution for factory planning. Therefore, 3D-simulation and Virtual reality are used in this research as methods to give valuable data and insight for the forest machines manufacturing case company’s decision makers. Visual Components 4.2-software is used in this research to model 3D-simulations. Results contain one assembly line simulation for harvester, one assembly line simulation for forwarder and two layouts to test partially combined assembly line performance. Assembly line simulations are made to build 3D-model of harvester and forwarder and assembly line simulation layouts are given to project researcher as a reference model as this thesis is part of a bigger research project. Harvester and forwarder are built from 3D-models provided by the case company following current assembly process steps. Two partially combined assembly line layouts are made to estimate performance metrics of the new factory, focusing on output volumes, cycle times and lead times of harvester and forwarder. 3D-simulation model for partially combined layout is run to estimate yearly production, showing output volume, mean cycle time and mean lead time for both machines in a different manufacturing scenarios. Results show basic performance metrics of the new factory and simulation can be viewed using Virtual reality-glasses by using Visual experience software, developed by Visual Components. First 3D-simulation model for partially combined assembly line revealed the problem areas and bottlenecks of the assembly lines. Second model is used to show how balancing assembly line and improvements in the manufacturing process can improve the performance of the factory. Results demonstrate that 3D modeling and simulation are advantageous methods for factory planning and Virtual reality can be used as a complementary method for visualization creating more immersive experience