Development of an industrial use case with augmented reality based on general concepts and principles of use: the start procedure of the MHF36 (multiple hearth furnace)

Abstract

The Development department at John Cockerill aims at keeping the company on top of the technological changes in the market. To do so, they explore all branches of technological improvements and analyze the relevance those improvements could have in their operations. This Master thesis has the purpose to be a guide to follow when wishing to implement augmented reality (AR), giving all necessary information and methodology advice to the reader. In order to have a firm grasp on what are today’s possibilities for the use of AR, this document starts by defining precisely what is augmented reality and takes a quick look at all notions necessary to have a good understanding of the different forms this technology can take. It compares the multiple actual brands that offer an augmented reality solution and examines the state of the market concerning the use of AR. Concerning the methodology, this paper first exposes a general one to follow in this kind of project. Afterwards, following the general approach, 3 possible use-cases are analyzed; the inspection of industrial boilers, the assembly of turrets and the start procedure of a furnace, and the latter is chosen to create a proof-of-concept. Afterwards, the way this proof-of-concept was carried out is thoroughly explained. Thus, the decision-making process for the choice of the DAQRI headset, the observed limitations and issues encountered during the project are all described to the reader.