Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that adds digital information to the world you can see around you. Think of it as placing digital elements on top of physical objects to imagine or experience the outcome. While virtual reality (VR) puts you in a completely fake digital environment, AR blends digital elements with physical things you see in real life. You can use your smartphone or tablet with AR apps, specialized headsets, or AR glasses. Through these devices, augmented reality projects images, text, and even animations into your field of vision.
Industry 4.0 is transforming the manufacturing sector, and few innovations are as exciting as augmented reality. The use of augmented reality is no longer limited to just gaming or entertainment. It is now at the heart of manufacturing, design, and construction. All across the world, in many industries, augmented reality software is unlocking opportunities to improve operational efficiency, eliminate errors, save costs, and create smarter, more adaptable factories.
From optimizing production lines to training workers, augmented reality is transforming how manufacturers operate. Here are a few use cases.
One of the biggest hurdles in manufacturing is moving from the design phase to production. Augmented reality software helps streamline this process by allowing engineers to visualize 3D prototypes in real-world settings. By projecting the design directly onto a machine or work surface, AR enables engineers to detect potential design flaws before any physical prototype is built.
Training a workforce in manufacturing is no easy task. Augmented reality provides an interactive and hands-on learning experience without disrupting actual production. Workers can wear AR glasses and see step-by-step instructions overlaid on their workstations. This kind of training improves knowledge retention and ensures employees learn new processes safely and efficiently.
AR can drastically cut down time spent on machine maintenance and troubleshooting. Using augmented reality software and devices, technicians can identify parts, access manuals, and receive live support from experts remotely. Rather than relying on paper instructions, augmented reality projects interactive guides and task lists that simplify even the most complex repairs.
Quality assurance is essential in manufacturing, and AR helps reduce errors. By comparing a real-world product to its 3D model, AR can quickly detect any deviations from the standard. This automated checking ensures that products meet stringent quality requirements without the need for labor-intensive inspections.
Smart manufacturing relies heavily on data, and augmented reality helps make data actionable. By overlaying real-time data from sensors and IoT devices onto machines and products, AR empowers workers to make faster, more informed decisions on the shop floor. For instance, if a machine is running too hot or if there’s a defect in a product, augmented reality software can immediately identify the problem and suggest corrective actions.
The shift toward Industry 4.0 and the adoption of smart technologies like AI, robotics, automation, and 3D printing is driving new levels of efficiency. What makes AR particularly powerful is its accessibility—workers don’t need extensive retraining or a complete overhaul of their existing systems. Augmented reality integrates seamlessly into current workflows, making it easier to adopt.
One of the best examples of AR in action is in automotive manufacturing, where precision and efficiency are crucial. AR assists workers with complex assembly procedures and provides real-time updates on inventory and parts availability, ensuring production lines run smoothly.
There’s a reason AR is catching on in the manufacturing sector. Let’s take a look at a few benefits.
Augmented reality improves productivity by providing workers with the right information at the right time. No need to flip through manuals or stop to look up data. Everything you need can be projected into your field of view. Through sensor data and AR, manufacturers can identify and troubleshoot production line issues quicker, reducing downtime.
By overlaying instructions and real-time data directly on the work being performed, AR dramatically reduces the chances of human error. Whether assembling a complex machine or performing routine maintenance, augmented reality ensures accuracy.
In industries where speed is critical, augmented reality helps manufacturers develop, test, and launch products faster by speeding up the design and prototyping phases. Using AR in the warehouse can aid with product picking and maintaining inventory, as well as visualizing and fixing other stockroom problems.
Workers can receive real-time hazard warnings or guidance on safety procedures while on the factory floor. AR in manufacturing allows for remote diagnostics, reducing the need for workers to be physically present in dangerous situations.
AR offers an affordable way to enhance productivity without major capital investments. The ability to visualize designs in 3D before production cuts down on costs associated with mistakes and rework. Fewer prototype iterations are needed during product development, and faster repairs minimize downtime, further saving costs.
With manufacturing AR, teams across different locations can collaborate in real time. This means that an engineer in California can consult with a designer in Texas without needing to meet physically. By sharing a virtual workspace, both teams can interact with the same 3D models and make decisions faster and more effectively.
3D virtual prototyping software for automotive design—available as VRED Design, VRED Professional, and VRED Presenter
Access APIs and services that help you use your design and engineering data in the cloud
Many companies already use Autodesk tools to integrate AR into their manufacturing processes. Let’s look at a few examples.
KIA EUROPE
KIA’s design teams have embraced AR for real-time collaboration, speeding up the development of new models. Using Autodesk’s VRED software, KIA is able to visualize car designs in detail, cutting down on the need for physical prototypes and enabling collaboration across locations.
Perez Art Museum, Miami
Perez Art Museum’s use of AR shows how diverse its applications can be. Using Autodesk’s Forge platform, the museum created augmented reality art like the gigantic Terrafish for the New Realities gallery.
Nissan Design
By visualizing car designs in AR, Nissan’s teams can review models with extreme precision before committing to physical builds. This helps them bring new models to market faster. The team can now experience a new car design within a day of its initial concept.
Looking ahead, augmented reality technology will only get better and more powerful, enabling many more use cases. As the technology matures and becomes more affordable, AR will enable manufacturers to operate even more efficiently and gain advantages in the market. Everyone, from small startups to large multinational corporations, can reap the benefits.
At Autodesk, we’re excited to see how AR will continue to evolve. Tools like VRED and Fusion are already empowering manufacturing designers to work in 3D environments. As AR becomes more integrated, we believe it will open up even greater possibilities for innovation.
Explore free augmented reality resources and learn how to make the most of this technology with Autodesk’s suite of tools.
Find answers, tutorials, case studies, and product overviews related to all of Autodesk’s augmented reality tools.
Become a life-long learner and expert with this library of webinars and training on how to use AR in design and manufacturing.
Keep an eye on blogs dedicated to Industry 4.0 and AR advancements for insights into how global manufacturers are leveraging these tools.
Learn more about the real-life applications of augmented reality integrations for design and construction.
Imagine the future of augmented reality, from immersive astronaut training simulations to interactive virtual tours.
Beyond manufacturing, AR also offers advantages in the fields of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC).
AR is commonly used for medical and military training. It’s also used in retail for shoppers and workers to get product information, or to see how products like furniture or wall hangings will look in their space.
AR is important because it creates efficiencies in the product design, manufacturing, and fulfillment processes that save significant time and material resources.
For example, designers can quickly iterate and test different product versions before entering the physical prototype phase. Factories can train workers on fabrication and inspection in a completely safe, virtual environment while reducing mistakes with predictive troubleshooting. And in the warehouse, AR can help manage inventory, guide product picking, and help identify problems.
The biggest difference between AR and VR is the user’s level of immersion. VR completely immerses users in a virtual world, giving them an omnidirectional view of the artificial environment from dedicated VR goggles. AR on the other hand, combines the user’s real physical surroundings with overlays of 3D or 2D graphics, video, and/or text.
AR content is typically less complicated and expensive to produce and consume than VR content. It only requires a smartphone or tablet, or it can also be used with some specialized glasses and a growing number of Head-Up Displays (HUDs) on car windshields.
AI (artificial intelligence) technologies such as speech recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, and computer vision are often included in the functionality of AR (augmented reality) apps, which dynamically superimpose digital graphics and information over the real-world environment on a mobile device or augmented/mixed-reality glasses.
The much larger world of AI machine-learning algorithms and neural networks has a life of its own separate from AR. However, most AR solutions employ some form of AI. For example, speech recognition and natural language processing let AR recognize user voice prompts and computer vision lets AR identify things like objects and people from a device’s camera.
AR overlays digital images, text, and information onto the real world using devices like smartphones or AR glasses. It's like adding digital elements on top of physical objects to enhance your experience or achieve a goal.
AR can improve design, prototyping, training, maintenance, and quality control. It helps visualize 3D models, guides workers with real-time instructions, and enhances collaboration without high costs.
While specialized AR hardware like glasses can be pricey, AR solutions using smartphones and tablets are affordable. Many AR apps also offer entry-level features that don’t require major investment.
AR lets you visualize and interact with 3D prototypes in real-world settings, reducing errors before production starts. This saves time and money in the design process.
Yes. AR can be integrated with 3D design software, IoT devices, and smart manufacturing platforms. It works well alongside tools startups already use, like Autodesk’s Fusion and VRED.
AR allows you to compare physical products with their digital models in real time, spotting defects more easily. This reduces manual inspections and ensures high-quality production.
Yes. Many AR tools are accessible to startups. Autodesk also supports startups through the Autodesk Technology Impact Program for startups.
