5 Ways Immersive Tech Solves Training Challenges in Manufacturing Industry

Even though AR/VR has existed for more than 50 years, it has been slow to be adopted by several industries, including manufacturing. The manufacturing industry thrives on precision, efficiency, and safety, yet training workers to meet these high standards has been an uphill challenge. Traditional training methods often come with high costs, extended learning content, and safety risks, particularly while operating near heavy machinery or hazardous materials, leading to significant skill gaps in the manufacturing sector, further inadvertently resulting in a loss in productivity and regulatory compliance.

This is where immersive technologies come into play. They are reshaping the future of workforce training through interactive, hands-on learning in a risk-free environment, accelerating skill development while also enhancing knowledge retention and workplace safety.

In this blog, we’ll explore five game-changing ways immersive tech solves manufacturing training challenges, helping companies upskill their workforce more efficiently.

Addressing Skill Gaps

Skills gaps are the most pressing issue in the manufacturing industry, where workers require advanced expertise to address a problem. Workers gain experience handling specialized tasks, such as heavy machinery and complex equipment, through on-the-job training, often in a risky environment.

However, immersive tech solutions provider are offering better training opportunities through AR and VR simulations and scenarios. This helps workers get used to the learning curves and gain confidence in their abilities and skills through replicated operational environments without facing the risks of real-world consequences.

For instance, a global automotive manufacturer implemented Virtual reality for employee training in manufacturing to train its workers on how to assemble a complex engine’s components in a virtual environment before stepping onto the production floor. This move resulted in reduced errors by 40% and improved assembly speed, leading to higher efficiency and reduced operational downtime.

By leveraging VR for training, manufacturers can upskill employees faster, ensure consistency in learning initiatives, and minimize disruptions to their production lines.

Enhancing Workplace Safety

Safety is a top priority in manufacturing, yet traditional training methods often fail to prepare workers for any risky scenario or handling high-risk tasks. Even experienced workers can face risk when learning new equipment or procedures in a live production setting. Immersive technology in the manufacturing industry, which includes Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, provides a viable alternative, allowing workers to train in a fully controlled, risk-free environment without real-world consequences through step-by-step safety instructions on actual equipment, reducing human errors.

Check out our latest blog, “How AR and VR are Revolutionizing Safety Standards in the Manufacturing Industry?”.

Reducing Training Costs and Downtime

Traditional training in the manufacturing industry can be expensive not only in terms of money but also in terms of lost productivity, pieces of equipment needed, learning materials, etc. In manufacturing, the production lines are sometimes shut down to accommodate the training days. All these costs add up, making it difficult for manufacturers to train efficiently and maintain daily productivity rates simultaneously.

Manufacturers can seek out cost-effective alternatives such as Digital Twins and augmented reality for manufacturing workforce development, thereby eliminating the need for physical training resources and training workers in a virtual environment that mirrors real-world factory settings. The AR and VR in manufacturing industry training reduces the dependency on the physical machine for training purposes, which inadvertently minimizes the wear and tear of tools and makes up for the significant downtime and lost revenue.

Improving Knowledge Retention and Skill Application

Ineffective training goes beyond just knowledge retention; it also leads to the failure to recall the correct information at the right time, which is true in a time-sensitive industry like manufacturing. Traditional training methods, such as lectures, manuals, and passive videos, often fail to engage workers, resulting in low recall rates, with nearly 70% of the content forgotten within the first 24 hours.

To address this challenge, AR VR Solutions for the Manufacturing Industry is proving to be an interactive and experiential learning environment where workers can engage with the training content hands-on, leading to more effective and higher knowledge retention rates. In the case of practicing in a simulated world, VR Solutions are preferred, comparatively, for overlaying real-time guidance onto physical equipment, mainly for remote assistance.

Explore our latest blog, “Exploring the Potential of AR and VR in Manufacturing Workforce Training”.

Standard Training across Global Teams

Most manufacturing companies operate across multiple locations for maximum output, so it is essential to maintain consistent training, which can pose a challenge. Differences in training methods, instructor expertise, and regional regulations often lead to inconsistencies in how employees are trained, which can affect productivity, safety, and quality standards.

With VR training modules, every worker receives the same high-quality, interactive learning experience, ensuring uniformity in skills and knowledge across the organization. AR and VR training in the manufacturing industry are deployed in real-time, guiding workers through tasks and maintaining operational efficiency.

Final Thoughts

After implementing immersive tech in training, manufacturing companies can measure both qualitative and quantitative outcomes that ensure an organization’s overall progress and remove any obstacles through impactful, immersive training solutions. Novac Immerz, an AR VR Development Company and a strategic business unit of Novac Technology Solutions can aid the manufacturing industry as it evolves, embracing immersive learning experiences as the conduit for workforce training and other aspects of the operational workflow.

To see how our immersive solutions are elevating the manufacturing industry, Click here to know more!

Contact us to explore and learn how you can integrate AR, VR, and MR into your training strategy today!

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