The term Industry 4.0 denotes a cluster of technologies that’s poised to fundamentally reshape manufacturing and bring about a new industrial revolution. These include 3D printing (AM), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and mixed reality technologies, more commonly known as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
As a technology, augmented reality (AR) can seem so far ahead of its time that it’s hard to believe it’s actually being used in manufacturing applications today—but it is. Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) applications are a particularly promising avenue for AR. This report explains why, exploring the advantages and challenges of using AR for MRO, surveying the available AR hardware options and citing specific case studies from leading manufacturers.
The benefits of using AR for MRO include streamlining inspections, remote expert assistance and checking machine status at a glance. Taken together, these examples hint at the tantalizing possibility that AR can provide a technological solution to the impending skills gap. In this report, readers will learn:
- The differences between augmented, mixed and virtual reality
- Benefits and challenges of using AR for MRO
- Current options for AR hardware
- How leading manufacturers are using AR for MRO today
At the end of the report, a reader should have a better idea of whether AR really can bridge the skills gap and be able to cite specific examples of how that can happen. Additionally, manufacturing professionals who read this report will be equipped to recognize the practical value of AR for MRO and to determine whether AR makes sense for their MRO application.
This research report has been sponsored by PTC.
