ARLearn – Modular AR environment for flexible knowledge acquisition and transfer

  Copyright: © WZL

Changes such as digitization and globalization as well as social developments such as demographic change are leading to a profound transformation in the world of work. Companies are threatened by the loss of many years of accumulated experience due to the departure of experienced employees. Particularly in small batch and one-off production, the knowledge gained from experience is transferred primarily through the collaboration between experienced and inexperienced employees. However, this approach to knowledge transfer is becoming increasingly challenging due to demographic change and the associated shortage of skilled workers. The classic methods of knowledge management are only partially designed for these changes. Consequently, a flexible and company-specific application for the acquisition and transfer of experiential knowledge is needed in one-off and small batch production.

For the long-term safeguarding of employees' experiential knowledge, the extension of a process-oriented knowledge management system with augmented reality (AR) technology for the situational transfer of knowledge in a virtual environment could be a suitable solution. However, this approach has not yet been explored in detail, especially with regard to a possible application in small batch and one-off production. Currently, existing AR solutions only consider specific, clearly defined use cases, so that a transfer to further use cases as well as a flexible use in manufacturing companies is only marginally possible.

The goal of the newly launched research project "ARLearn" at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University is the research and development of a modular management system based on augmented reality for flexible knowledge acquisition and transfer. With the help of a modular AR environment on tablet, cell phone or smart glasses, visual assistance is projected into the production environment. In this way, learning content can be presented to employees in a didactic manner, situationally and within their direct working environment. Flexible applicability in practice is to be ensured by integrated standard tools for knowledge acquisition and transfer. For direct applicability in industry, the research results will be tested in direct cooperation with companies in the toolmaking sector and widely transferred to operational practice in Germany via pilot implementations.

The research project "ARLearn" will be carried out in the next two years in cooperation with the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University, the Chair of Production Metrology and Quality Management & Institute for Information Management in Mechanical Engineering (WZL-MQ/IMA) as well as with the companies Modell Aachen GmbH (consortium leader), Meissner AG, oculavis GmbH and i2Solutions GmbH.