Manufacturing technology
AR might be ready to use, but experts say there is work to be done in how this technology is developed.
more research and clinical testing, and that’s before you factor in a range of legal hurdles. From patent and intellectual property issues to security and privacy, regulators are still navigating the use of AR tech in factories and virtual environments.
High demand
Increased global demand for medical devices – especially amid healthcare staff and resource shortages – requires manufacturing to find more efficient ways to deliver products without jeopardising quality. Quality management for device manufacturing is especially critical given the stringent need for devices to operate safely for both medical staff and patients. Such a complex assembly process requires intricate manufacturing steps under stereo microscopes, which may lead to human error, potentially compromising the quality of the equipment. Global medical device regulations have more than quadrupled from 500 in 2015 to over 2,000 in 2023, emphasising the highest-quality standards regulators require for devices while highlighting the absolute necessity for manufacturers to meet these standards. To counter this, microscopes are now integrating cutting-edge AR technology. A good example are Evident’s SZX-AR1 AR microscopes, which enable users to overlay text and images digitally over the microscope’s field of view. That, in turn, makes it easier to follow directions and read notes – users no longer need to move their eyes away from their eyepieces – permitting them to stay focused on the medical device at hand and ultimately lowering the risk of mistakes. Equally enabling assemblers to pinpoint issues in the manufacturing process, AR
Medical Device Developments /
www.nsmedicaldevices.com
ensures greater quality management for assemblers on the production line. According to a white paper by the Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance (Area), indeed, AR guidance during changeover procedures can lead to 40% fewer errors and 25% faster changeover speed.
“Where there are questions around the efficiency of tasks, could we speed up various operations without hindering safety by leveraging AR?” asks Erkoyuncu rhetorically. “There’ll be huge cost savings and resource efficiency improvements. The question is, where are the quick wins? In which areas would it be more beneficial to prioritise cases – where developing this makes more sense?” AR microscopes also enable assemblers to call upon third-party software such as Microsoft Teams, collaboratively sharing their view from eyepieces with off-site managers and engineers. That, in turn, saves on travel costs, allowing workers to fix troubleshooting issues more promptly, ultimately preventing delays to production schedules.
AR can bolster production workflows in other
ways – not least when it comes to training. Training for medical device set-up and configuration is traditionally delivered using complicated operating procedure documentation, with manuals and 2D diagrams making it time-consuming and complicated for assemblers to follow. AR can aid in training assemblers using a standardised approach. According to Area, indeed, ensuring prospective assemblers receive the same digital lessons can speed up training times by 60% and potentially reduce human error by 90%. No less important, AR enables trainers to follow along with their trainees in real time remotely, even
40%
The percentage of fewer errors AR guidance
during changeover procedures can lead to, with 25% faster changeover speed.
Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance
$1.57bn
The estimated global market for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in the healthcare industry in 2022, which is expected to hit $13.74bn by 2032.
Towards Healthcare 61
Zapp2Photo/
Shutterstock.com
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