Design and Development of a Virtual Reality Training Platform for Fiber-Reinforced Composite Manufacturing

Abstract

This study presents the design and development of a virtual reality (VR) training platform for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites, a sophisticated and high-demand material in various industries. Due to the high costs and safety concerns associated with compression molding machines, essential equipment for this manufacturing process, the VR platform offers a promising alternative for training in educational institutions and manufacturing industries. The platform provides immersive and interactive training in a cost-efficient learning environment, allowing users to gain practical experience without the risks and expenses of physical training. The VR training module was developed using the Unity game engine and deployed on the HTC Vive Pro headset. While virtual reality-based training has become very popular in both educational and industrial settings, very few studies have confirmed the knowledge transfer from immersive training to real-world tasks. In this experimental study, researchers compared the performance of participants who received prior VR training with those who did not for their real-world performance in manufacturing. The findings of this research have the potential to significantly impact the effectiveness and transferability of virtual-reality-based training in composite manufacturing. Educational institutions and manufacturing industries can utilize the VR training platform to provide a safer and more cost-effective training environment for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites.