VR training improves ball bearing production efficiency

Release Time：18 Mar,2024

<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/ueditor/php/upload/image/20240318/1710761386910337.png" title="1710761386910337.png" alt="3.png"/></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Bearing manufacturer&nbsp;NSK Europe&nbsp;is leveraging virtual reality (VR) training methods to improve the efficiency of its ball bearing production process.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Through leveraging VR technologies, the company hopes to keep its machines running 24/7 while simultaneously training engineers in their operation and permitting easier standardisation of training courses.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The technology is being introduced as a pilot project at the company’s Munderkingen plant in Germany and aims to serve as a model for the future&nbsp;roll-out of VR training&nbsp;at other facilities.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">VR-supported training</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">NSK is integrating VR technologies into its production processes in partnership with Industry 4.0 and digitisation firm&nbsp;Varity.me. The main aim of the project is to eliminate production interruptions due to training session requirements, and keep the firm’s high-precision grinding and honing machines running continuously.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">VR allows these training sessions to take place in an interactive virtual space from decentralised locations. According to NSK, one advantage of this type of training is that each operator learns how to set up the machine in the same way when switching over to the next product. Set-up workflows are particularly important within NSK’s Munderkingen plant as it produces a wide variety of&nbsp;customer-specific bearing types&nbsp;in small batches which require frequent machine setups.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">VR-supported training of the set-up process establishes a standard procedure which can reduce cycle time errors, scrap rates, and deviations in quality. Perhaps most significantly, operators can repeatedly practice and improve their set-up skills without having the physically dismantle the machine each time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“The time required for training sessions in the virtual space is often only a third of that required for conventional training, largely because VR training can focus on procedures without having to handle real tools and workpieces,” said Carsten Schleyer, who is heading up the project.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Benefits beyond training</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">NSK has also identified how VR technologies can deliver advantages that go far beyond the firm’s training requirements.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">For instance, engineers can be trained on machines in the virtual space that are still under development, while set-up procedures can be analysed and optimised using the digital model of the machine. This allows for feedback to be communicated directly to the machine developers who can make adjustments accordingly.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Having a digital machine model also enables the firm’s engineers to view it from all conceivable angles, benefiting repair and maintenance operations such as component replacement.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“Having a model of a grinding or honing machine in the virtual space not only makes employee training easier, it also helps with the operation and maintenance of the actual machine,” Schleyer added.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">According to NSK’s management team, the project serves as a good example of how digitalisation can not only deliver expected benefits to the production process, but can also reveal potential in other areas.&nbsp;</span></p><p><br/></p>