Assembly

This use case pertains to contextually-triggered AR-enhanced instructions for “complex assembly” tasks. There are aspects of this use case category that overlap with guidance, remote assistance and navigation use cases. It may also include an inspection component.

Prior to AR Adoption

Complex assembly is defined as having one or more of the following characteristics:

• Involves more discreet steps than the typical employee is expected to remember without error (i.e., low proportion of steps are repetitive)
• Involves performance of steps or use of specific parts that are unique to the process of assembling the final product (e.g. custom products)
• Includes steps that should or must be performed in a precise order (a sequence)
• Includes steps that involve one or more tools that resemble one another could be confused
• Components or tools must be examined and their conformance to criteria confirmed by the user
• Requires parts that resemble one another but are unique or infrequently used
• Requires parts are not located at the site of assembly (hence, the user must follow procedures to obtain)

In advance of performing complex assembly procedures, a technician typically receives training or certification in order to become familiar with the required parts, tools, procedures and specifications which the final product must meet. Corporate or industry policies may require that some procedures be practiced and performed a minimum number of times on sample materials prior to the technician being permitted to assemble the desired product or part.

Business Challenges AR Introduction Addresses

Without Augmented Reality support, some complex assembly procedures are provided to the technician in a printed document (e.g., a manual with text and figures) or on a screen that is provided for the purpose of illustrating (sometimes using animations) as well as documenting when steps are performed by the technician. In either electronic or print formats, the technician must focus attention on the task and parts as well as the source of step-by-step instructions. Robots (machines) are already available to perform many of the simplest and most common procedures where no human decision making or dexterity is needed. The company calculates a threshold level at which the cost of the machine and materials it uses are lower than the cost of having a person perform the same procedures. The benefit of having the technician performing another tasks is part of the calculation for automation. As assembly complexity increases, there is an increase in the need for a technician to use or direct a machine to perform procedures. Depending on the frequency with which the machine and technician interact and tasks needed, there may instructions introduced. The machines may also be connected to a manufacturing control system that records salient aspects of its usage. Finally, some complex assembly procedures are unsuitable for development of mechanized support or the cost of developing the machine is higher than the benefits it could provide.  There are also cases in which the parts or materials for an automated process must be examined and their compliance certified, which requires a technician or use of another machine or tool. As complexity and compliance requirements rise and frequency of performing the tasks decline, the need to rely on technicians increases. Since the technician is not frequently performing the task and/or the sequence of steps is too long to be recalled reliably, documentation is required. Even documentation is not a perfect solution. Human error is reduced through training and certification. Training technicians can be time consuming, reducing the overall productivity of the technician. It also restricts the employees that can perform a task (the flexibility of the workforce is lower). When the trained technician is unavailable, or materials limited, productivity is reduced.

Use Case with AR

When a technician receives a work order using an AR-enabled system and display device that is connected to the assembly management system and the documentation for the work order, the complete step-by-step assembly procedures can be provided in real time and digitally registered with the technician’s work space. The type of AR display used by the technician depends on many factors:

• Need for technician to use both hands
• Room in the vicinity where the procedures are performed for another screen pointed directly at the work space
• Support for introducing new display devices (e.g., wearable AR, projection AR)

With Augmented Reality assistance for Assembly, the technician is no longer required to switch focus of attention between the task itself and the documentation (e.g., a manual on screen or printed). The first and every subsequent step in the complex assembly process is either automatically detected by the system or manually selected by the technician. At each step, the documentation and/or a symbol representing a process is registered with the part where or on which the user must perform the current task. When a task is completed, the system automatically detects its status and sends a message to the management system or the technician can confirm completion through voice, gesture or another interaction with the AR system. Another capability that an AR-enabled system for complex assembly use cases can support is the interactive 3D design (and/or testing or confirmation of a proposed design) of a space in which technicians will perform complex assembly procedures. Using AR the planner or the supply chain manager can measure and/or see how much room the technician has to move, to store parts or tools and to put finished products.

Common roles of Users

• Technicians
• Supply chain managers
• Inspectors
• Manufacturing space planner

Business Benefits:

The benefits of AR-assisted complex assembly can be measured as reduced time to complete the procedures with lower (or no) errors. Also the technician’s cognitive load would be lower as a result of not needing to look away from the work space to the documentation, remember the documentation when focusing on the parts and work space. In addition, there can be benefits due to lower training time and higher overall productivity of technicians, even if they have not been trained on the specific assembly tasks.