3.3. Manufacturing
Research on the manufacturing applications of AR is a
strong and growing area [?]. The challenge in the manufacturing
field is to design and implement integrated AR manufacturing
systems that could enhance manufacturing processes,
as well as product and process development, leading
to shorter lead-time, reduced cost and improved quality [4].
The ultimate goal is to create a system that is as good as the
real world, if not better and more efficient.
AR can enhance a person’s perception of the surrounding
world and understanding of the product assembly tasks to be
carried out [32]. Using an AR approach, graphical assembly
instructions and animation sequences can be pre-coded
at the design stage for typical procedures Figure 3(b). These
sequences can be transmitted upon request and virtually overlaid
on the real products at the assembly lines as and when
they are needed. The instructions and animations are conditional
and can be automatically adjusted to actual conditions
at the assembly lines. These instructions and animated sequences
can be updated periodically with updated knowledge
from the manufacturers. This approach can reduce the information
overload and the training required for assembly operators.
It can reduce product assembly time, thus reducing product
lead-time. Authors in [33] compared three instructional
media in an assembly system: a printed manual, computerassisted
instruction (CAI) using a monitor-based display and
CAI using a head-mounted display. They found that, by using
overlaying instructions on actual components, the error
rate for an assembly task was reduced by 82% [33].