Augmented Reality for Plant Maintenance and Training

Real Time Solutions Augmented Reality for Plant Maintenance and Training

2023-09-19 From Ahlam Rais 4 min Reading Time

Related Vendors

Bentley Systems International Ltd

Linde AG München

Emerson Industrial Automation

Siemens AG Business Services

Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH

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Industries looking to adopt advanced digital technologies for their production plants will find augmented reality to be a real gamechanger. Plant maintenance with the help of remote offsite-experts as well as training activities for newly joined engineers or technical maintenance staff can be carried out without any difficulty with the help of this technology. The biggest plus points of using augmented reality: Reduced costs, reduced plant downtime, access to remote offsite-experts in real time and saving valuable time.

Augmented Reality is especially useful for technical maintenance staff and engineers of industrial plants as plant maintenance and training activities can be carried out with ease. (Source: PaulShlykov - stock.adobe.com) — Augmented Reality is especially useful for technical maintenance staff and engineers of industrial plants as plant maintenance and training activities can be carried out with ease.
(Source: PaulShlykov - stock.adobe.com)

Digital transformation is real and it’s currently changing the dynamics of numerous industries across the globe. Be it Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital twin or blockchain, industries are all for it. Another technology which has been in the market for a long time but has seen a significant rise in demand during and post Covid-19 is Augmented Reality (AR).

This technology market is expected to grow significantly especially in the industrial segment as Augmented Reality is claimed to be one of the most common digital technologies currently used by the oil & gas industry worldwide as of 2020, according to the major consulting firm Ernst & Young and Statista 2023, a German online platform specialized in data gathering and visualization.

What is Augmented Reality all about?

In simple words, AR is an interactive experience in which computer-generated content is superimposed on the real-environment in real time. The technology can be used via head-mounted displays, smart glasses, head-up display and handheld devices. Cameras, sensors, software etc. are embedded in these solutions.

Augmented Reality is especially useful for technical maintenance staff and engineers of industrial plants as plant maintenance and training activities can be carried out with ease.

Augmented Reality also helps its operators to gain access to remote off-site experts, if needed. For instance, if a plant equipment requires servicing at a US facility and a less experienced technician or an engineer who is unfamiliar with the particular equipment is on-site, they can use the AR technology to connect with technical experts in the same country or even in a different country so that the experts can analyze the situation and then suggest step by step actions to fix the problem efficiently. Thus, reducing the risk of errors. This interactive process helps operators to rectify technical issues at the earliest in order to avoid plant downtime and it also saves valuable travel time of the technical experts.

Augmented Reality can be used via head-mounted displays, smart glasses, head-up display and handheld devices. (Source: zapp2photo - stock.adobe.com) — Augmented Reality can be used via head-mounted displays, smart glasses, head-up display and handheld devices.
(Source: zapp2photo - stock.adobe.com)

Taking Augmented Reality to the Next Level

Augmented Reality can also be combined with digital twin, a technology which duplicates the physical assets of a product, production process or performance of a system into a virtual system. Richard Irwin, Senior Marketing Manager for Bentley Systems in an earlier article for PROCESS Worldwide had shared, “Augmented Reality provides even more context to an industrial digital twin by providing engineers on site the necessary information they need, such as P&IDs and asset data, while working hands-free. Any issues identified can then be recorded directly into the digital twin platform.” With this, the many facets of the AR technology can be further explored.

AR: Live examples from the industry

The US-based company Emerson has incorporated the AR technology to its Plantweb Optics asset performance platform. With this solution, plant operators with a mobile device can gain access to off-site experts and also obtain useful analytics in real time which helps them to optimize and maintain plant equipment. Thus, enhancing productivity and operations at the plant. According to a press release by the firm, Plantweb Optics uses spatial computing technology to map assets and provide technicians with critical maintenance information relevant to their location. The solution overlays real-time analytics, equipment health status and technical support documentation on their field of view, so technicians can safely resolve issues sooner.

AR is an interactive experience in which computer-generated content is superimposed on the real-environment in real time.(Source: zapp2photo - stock.adobe.com) — AR is an interactive experience in which computer-generated content is superimposed on the real-environment in real time.
(Source: zapp2photo - stock.adobe.com)

Apart from this, Siemens, the major German automation firm along with software company Augmensys has developed an app called ‘Comos Mobile Worker’. Including AR functions, the app is used for mobile data management and proves useful for the maintenance of process plants. It is capable of visualizing and processing all required data, e.g. from ERP systems, engineering data and also live data from the process control system in an easy-to-use interface, mentions a press release by Siemens. The AR function can be used with the help of a mobile device which displays data to the operator. Access to off-site experts, plant inspection and maintenance is also possible with this app.

In terms of companies using this technology, Linde, the Ireland based chemical company, utilizes AR solutions from Fieldbit, a leading developer of real-time augmented reality collaboration solutions, for real-time field service maintenance processes and increasing operational safety. As explained earlier, remote off-site expert services can be accessed with the help of mobile devices and this technology also proves advantageous for its numerous facilities spread across the globe. Thus, increasing operational safety of the firm. A press release by Fieldbit states that its AR multi-source knowledge platform provides five distinct sources of information and expertise that richly benefit field service technicians, enabling them to achieve results more effectively and efficiently: subject matter experts, accumulated organizational knowledge, guidance automation, IoT real-time data, and enterprise back-office solutions.

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In conclusion…

Augmented Reality has become a vital tool in today’s world where industries are exploring new and innovative technologies to reduce costs as well as plant downtime in order to achieve maximum output and profits from their plants. In fact, some of the major industries are already using AR for their plants and many others will soon follow owing to its multiple benefits. So, have you tried the AR technology yet?

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