Virtual Learning Factory on VR-Supported Factory Planning

Learning Factories are becoming popular as tangible measures to teach engineering methods while making use of them in an industrial-like environment. Their core component is usually a factory demonstrator, users are physically working with. For factory planning such approaches can hardly be adapted, due to long lasting realization phases. To overcome this obstacle a virtual learning factory has been developed whose core component is not a real factory but a digital factory model. Based on an exemplary product and production model participants learn how to use factory planning methods for a clearly defined use-case. They apply software tools coming from the digital factory and learn how to use VR-systems for validation purposes. The comprehensive digital planning facilitates the collaboration between multiple planning participants. Further extension of the approach towards distance collaboration and use-cases covering the whole product engineering process are proposed.