Applications of virtual reality in computer integrated manufacturing systems

Abstract

The Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer system, which can save time, cut costs and help to improve the learning process in engineering laboratory education by interactive 3D simulation environments. This paper gives an overview on the VR applications in undergraduate engineering laboratory education and presents a VR system tool 'Virtual CIM Laboratory' (VCIMLAB), developed for laboratory training on Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) systems. The proposed VR system is a cost-effective and safe approach of teaching the operations of automated manufacturing systems, which deal primarily with the expensive and complex high technology industrial automation equipments. The VCIMLAB allows students to self-experience on these systems without the need to work on actual equipments in the laboratory.