Augmented Reality based Visualization of CAM Instructions towards Industry 4.0 paradigm: a CNC Bending Machine case study

Skilled shop-floor technicians are playing an important role in modem Industry 4.0 manufacturing environments, especially in small and customized manufacturing systems. Moving towards Industry 4.0 business models, it is essential to develop advanced solutions that will reinforce the position of technicians in manufacturing, by implementing key enabling technologies. Augmented Reality (AR) has arisen as a key enabling technology, which will enable the transfer of information from digitalized design systems and databases towards human operators, especially including production and maintenance information. Reinforced by the development of advanced communication technologies that support high speed data transfer, such as 5G, and networks that combine low latency with increased availability, such as tactile internet, AR proposes a way for agile information distribution and increased shop-floor status awareness. This study presents a mobile application for visualizing Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) instructions for bending processes using Augmented Reality. The application integrates step-by-step process instructions, highly usable menus and advanced visualization that includes safety zones, indications, and text instructions for the operators. The developed framework is applied and validated in a CNC bending machine in a real world scenario provided by a CNC machines manufacturer. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.