Chemicals and pharma bet on virtual and augmented reality

Finding and retaining well-trained production workers and technicians has been a challenge for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for years. With the increasing complexity of production processes, the demand for technical profiles with specific skills is only increasing. In order to meet the great need for training and retraining of employees, the industry 4.0 living lab 'Opleiden 4.0', a collaboration between spearhead cluster Catalisti, training center Acta vzw, research center Imec and Karel de Grote Hogeschool, is investigating which new, digital technologies can be used for this purpose. 

Co-creation and in-depth interviews

During an intensive co-creation session with thirteen managers from companies in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, the training needs and requirements were mapped out. These insights were then tested, in collaboration with VDAB, through in-depth interviews with sixteen employees from six different companies.

Routine procedures in hazardous conditions

This rigorous approach yielded important findings. For example, safety is the top priority for everyone involved. Moreover, training for routine procedures, such as starting up a pump and changing and cleaning a filter, appear to be of great importance to the industry. According to production leaders, the added value of technology lies in simulating dangerous, exceptional or impossible situations. But it was also further emphasized that technology can never completely replace performing physical actions during training.

Separate applications per function

Three more requirements emerged for digital training tools. First, they must be sufficiently challenging and motivating. Second, they should reflect reality in a recognizable and realistic way. And third, it is important to work out a different training application for each function (operator, maintenance technician, etc.) because they each have different needs and requirements.

VR is most immersive

Taking the above concerns into account, virtual and augmented reality turned out to be the most promising technologies. Charlemagne University College is currently developing a VR application that allows operators to master procedures, such as starting up a pump. Including exceptional situations, such as the presence of sulfuric acid or the release of pressure waves in pipes. “VR is the most immersive learning method because it puts the trainee in a completely virtual world, with no outside distractions,” said Ivan De Boi, lecturer at KdG. “Moreover, you can go through virtual training anytime, anywhere. And if you interrupt the training, you can pick up the thread at a later time.”

Supporting information in AR

The Imec research center is responsible for building an AR application that allows a trainee to apply his theoretical knowledge of the start-up procedure of a pump to a virtual layer. “Technicians need supporting information when they perform works,” knows David Vermeir, prototype builder at Imec. This technology has the advantage that the trainee is in the real working or training environment, but can still perform training without working directly with the real pump.

Scoop on March 5

On March 5, Acta is organizing a theme day on digitalization on the shop floor. The new demos, along with other digital learning technologies, will then be presented during interactive workshops. “Afterwards, we will examine in detail whether these new developments actually deliver the intended learning results,” says Elke Pierets, expert in digital learning solutions at Acta. “We want to develop applications that are fun for employees to do, but above all, they have to actually work.”