Page 69 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2017 Online Magazine

COLUMN RAMASESHAN SATAGOPAN

Harbinger of Change

Industry adoption of AR is growing

ugmented Reality (AR) has already (OEMs) have started adopting this.
found its place in the engineering A major aircraft manufacturer has
industry. Till a while ago, this deployed AR in the installation of the
Atechnology was in its infancy as equipment in the aircraft at the final
industry giants looked upon AR as a good assembly line that helps the technicians build
subject for Proof Of Concepts (POCs). This the aircraft faster with less errors and high
is no longer the opinion now. AR has become productivity. Another aircraft manufacturer
a reality and everyone is keen to implement implemented this for the quality control of
this in their industry. Just to quote - in a the manufactured parts in the production
forum where AR was presenting to varied line by comparing the actual part with the
customers from different industries, a 3D part generated through AR. They claim the picture taken with real time processing
customer from Banking, Financial services benefits in terms of improvement of quality of the image and recognizes the part.
and Insurance (BFSI) segment approached of technicians with higher rate of quality The application now launches the
and wanted (exploring) to implement this for control. The list of advantages continues. complete manual on the tab which actually
Insurance industry! An AR app that has been developed by guides him to the sequential steps of
Needless to say, the importance AR has an Indian IT company, Tech Mahindra for an carrying out the intended maintenance
in the aerospace industry which relies on application in the aircraft MRO segment has job. It also helps the engineer to run an
conventional manufacturing methods, is the drawn lot of attention from global aerospace animated version to make him visualise the
fast implementation of AR in the entire life OEMs. The maintenance engineer with a entire process leaving no scope to commit
cycle of the product starting from ‘Product tablet computer (eg. IPad or Android tablet mistakes. Advanced features include linking
Definition’ phase to the Aftermarket phase. device) in his hand, points the camera to it with the stock inventory database to
There is no exception here. Almost all major the unique name plate of the aerospace check if the part is available in the stock or
aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers equipment. The application then compares needs to place order with the equipment
manufacturer.
Tech Mahindra
anticipates that AR will
take a completely new
avatar by integrating
itself with other
digital technologies
like Big Data, Robotic
Process Automation,
Artificial Intelligence
etc., to provide a
comprehensive and
exploding benefits at
every possible stage
of application in the
industry.

(Dr. Ramaseshan
Satagopan is the Head
of Aerospace & Defence
Practice, Integrated
Engineering Solutions,
Tech Mahindra).
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