6. Optimal Factory Layout thanks to Virtual Reality

Guest: Liang Gong, PhD student, Chalmers University of Technology.

"With a realistic model of the factory [in VR], actors affected by changes in factory layout are actively involved in the planning process".

Liang Gong is a PhD student at the division of Production Systems at Chalmers University of Technology, and is the expert of Virtual Reality technologies adoption in his research group. Liang explained how computer aided design (CAD) and simulation tools are great for estimating quantitative measures in factory layout planning (such as travel distance from A to B). However, such traditional approaches do not provide rich insights for detailed layout planning, where qualitative factors such as safety and ergonomics are key. Liang, in his three years of research at Chalmers, carried out three empirical studies in the automotive industry, where he asked managers to evaluate different VR integration approaches. Thanks to those studies, Liang came up with general guidelines on how to integrate and use virtual reality technology for factory layout planning.

Check out Liang's publications:

• Gong, L., Berglund, J., Saluäär, D., & Johansson, B. (2017). A novel VR tool for collaborative planning of manufacturing process change using point cloud data. Procedia CIRP, 63, 336-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2017.03.089
• Berglund, J., Gong, L., Sundström, H., & Johansson, B. (2017). Virtual Reality and 3D Imaging to Support Collaborative Decision Making for Adaptation of Long-Life Assets. In Dynamics of Long-Life Assets (pp. 115-132). Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-45438-2_7#Bib1