How can railway companies address the shortage of skilled workers and the loss of know-how? With AR technology from Inspect AR. Read now to find out how.
The benefits of Inspect AR for training and education in the transportation industry at a glance:
- Learning by doing: step-by-step instructions for new employees directly on site at the object using augmented reality and not just in the classroom.
- Storing knowledge in the company: In contrast to remote assistance, knowledge can also be stored long-term in the company with Inspect AR and retrieved again and again as needed.
- Full transparency: Multimedia-based real-time documentation of inspections and maintenance enables complete traceability of current and already executed use cases.
Why is the training of railway employees a particular challenge?
Rolling stock, tracks, and rail infrastructure require special attention during inspection and maintenance. Precise execution of the inspection processes and seamless documentation are of paramount importance for the safety of millions of passengers as well as in freight transport.
In addition to the safety aspect, speed is crucial because punctuality is the key factor in freight and passenger transportation. We explain how augmented reality technology increases speed and accuracy during maintenance and inspections in our article “Augmented Reality Tools for Railway Maintenance, Repair and General Overhaul“.
Inspections and maintenance require trained eyes and a lot of expertise and experience. When experts retire, there is an additional loss of knowledge in addition to the general shortage of skilled workers.
AR technology can carry expert knowledge more effectively into the company by visualizing individual work steps vividly in the process. Paper checklists are not simply digitized but rethought in a new and interactive way: an animation or video in the field of vision of maintenance personnel can convey a process or action immediately and accurately. At the same time, it acts as a know-how repository from which trainees and apprentices can call up expert knowledge at any time, regardless of location, depending on the area of work.
How does Inspect AR support trainees and instructors via augmented reality?
Onboarding, training, safety checks, compliance, process improvements, approvals, and maintenance – these are some areas where augmented reality increases efficiency by providing step-by-step information relevant to the specific work context.
With Inspect AR, you create step-by-step instructions with animated AR overlays as well as checklists via an intuitive user interface in the web browser or directly in the app. Employees also enter feedback and new information there – as a result, digital knowledge is always up-to-date and constantly growing. This facilitates the transfer of knowledge to the next generation.
Teachers and trainees can also access the knowledge database at any time. Technical know-how is imparted directly on the rail stock or the tracks, which is more intuitive than consulting textbooks alone: Markings guide or show the exact location of test objects and elements. Studies show that training and education with augmented reality becomes significantly more effective and reduces the time it takes for new employees to become operational.
Inspect AR’s precise instructions of individual steps offer another advantage: the system is designed to enable independent learning without an instructor through accurate visual guidance. In addition, AR-supported inspection is no longer tied to an inspection expert. Through checkpoints and visual step-by-step instructions, even trainees and substitutes can complete challenging inspections. This allows employees to be more flexible and deployed in multiple areas.
If the need for assistance does arise, trainees call in experts remotely via Microsoft Teams or XMReality. They provide instructions and assistance that appear directly in the trainees’ field of vision or on the object when they wear tech glasses.
Inspect AR in Transportation: More efficiency in apprenticeship & training
Major railway companies already rely on Inspect AR for training and education. Inspection lists and maintenance schedules are quickly digitized in the app and enriched with AR points as well as media such as images and videos. Different devices are suitable for different tasks: you can use smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses like HoloLens 2 or RealWear as required. Inspect AR is therefore platform-independent, and you can start digital training without long set-up times.
It is also easy to connect to a Learning Management System (LMS). As a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, the app supports multiple languages, enables connection to SAP, and integration of remote support, such as via Microsoft Teams or XMReality. If required, Inspect AR can also be integrated on-premises into the existing IT infrastructure.
We are happy to show you how Inspect AR works. Send us an email, give us a call, or connect with us on LinkedIn.
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