Is augmented reality (AR) the way forward for the manufacturing workforce?

The growing workforce gap being created as Baby Boomers retire, coupled with new advancements in automation, is sending disruptive waves through the manufacturing sector. New workers coming into the plant are faced with having to adapt to a new work environment of collaborative robots and machine learning-driven applications. At the same time, they have to maintain, or in some cases re-learn, the legacy knowledge that is being lost as older generations exit the workforce.

But can AR fill that gap? A panel at the recent Atlantic Manufacturing & Design Expo (ADM), “Workforce Integration in the New Age of Smart Manufacturing,” examined how the practice of hiring workers for the factory floor is going to evolve in the very near future. Advanced manufacturers are looking for operators and technicians with both traditional and newer skill sets. The challenge is how prospective workers can bridge this gap and how companies can help them.

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AR's potential in factory training and education was among the most discussed trends among the panelists. David Iyoha, director of software solutions at Fortech LLC, discussed manufacturers' need to put systems in place to capture knowledge. Fellow panelist Bruce Lichorowic, president of Galen Robotics, stressed the crucial role that workforce education is going to play going forward.

Plenty of companies, from large entities like Microsoft to smaller companies and even startups, are pointing AR toward the challenge of worker training. There are also plenty of reasons to be skeptical of companies like Magic Leap, that may be over-promising on what AR can deliver. But Brian Federal, a futurist with Prana Communications, told the ADM audience that AR will be “invaluable” on the shop floor, particularly if it can reach the level Magic Leap is seeking.

How disruptive will AR be to the workforce? Will it impact more industries than others? And how does AR fit in alongside other transformative smart manufacturing technologies, such as collaborative robots, AI, and additive manufacturing?

Watch the full panel, “Workforce Integration in the New Age of Smart Manufacturing,” below. And for more updates, be sure to follow Design News on Facebook.  

Chris Wiltz is a senior editor at Design News covering emerging technologies, including VR/AR, AI, and robotics.