Effectiveness of virtual reality in discrete event simulation models for manufacturing systems

Virtual reality (VR) and discrete event simulation (DES) have become fundamental technologies of industry 4.0. There is a growing interest in such technologies in both academic and industry sectors. Nevertheless, few studies have reported the use of them simultaneously. This study develops a DES model and proposes an integrated approach combining self-reported and objective measurements to determine the VR effectiveness, based on data collection and analysis of 72 volunteers randomly assigned either a VR system or a laptop computer. The model represents a real manufacturing system where the user can move around, interact with objects, modify variables, run different scenarios, and identify the best one based on the system's key performance indicators. Results showed that experimentation time is significantly less when users interact with the VR interface, and there is no significant difference between the two interfaces when comparing the decision-making time. However, the VR users obtained a higher percentage of correct answers. Finally, self-reported feedback indicated users preferred the VR system, in addition to the fact that discomfort and presence questionnaires exhibit typical values of the VR experience, and the usability questionnaire yields higher values than the laptop computer.