Scandinavian committee experience latest Virtual Reality technology in Gothenburg

Members from Norway, Sweden and Denmark met for the Annual General Meeting of the Scandinavian committee, followed by a practical demonstration of virtual and augmented reality applications at the Gothenburg headquarters of Virtual AB on 27 April 2018.

The IMechE Scandinavian committee and several local members met on 27 April in Gothenburg for their AGM and technical visit. Following a successful committee meeting hosted by Inocean, the group visited the headquarters of Virtual AB to experience first-hand the use of virtual and augmented reality for production processes and manufacturing.

Virtual reality (VR) and augment reality (AR) technology is often seen as being only applicable to the gaming industry and phone apps, but its use is far wider than this. With the digitisation of the world, and the drive to Industry 4.0, engineering and manufacturing companies are looking to exploit VR and AR to increase efficiency, through training, virtual commissioning, productivity improvements etc.  The company Virtual AB, one of Scandinavians leading technology companies in this area, hosted a visit of the Scandinavian committee, and gave a number of hands on demonstrations where members were able to see, feel and try the technology.

Virtual reality: a digital representation of a tool station was shown, enabling members to train in a totally digital environment how to pick up parts and assemble these together in the correct orientation and with the correct tools.  Use of VR enables effective training for production staff as well as ensuring the assembly process fulfills the ergonomic and efficiency requirements of the operators.

An augment reality demonstration meant that members, through use of AR glasses, were able to select the correct components and place these in the correct place on an assembly pack. 

We were also shown Bluetooth and IR trackers that enabled a number of different functions, from spaghetti diagrams of operators, path tracking of trucks and robots, and also ensuring that tools were powered only when they were in the correct phase of the assembly process.

All in all, a fascinating day which generated a lot of discussion about how fast this technology is maturing and how it can be applied across different industries.  Our thanks go to both Inocean and Virtual AB for making a successful and enjoyable day.

To find out more about the Scandinavian committee or to attend future events in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, please visit our NearYou page.