Augmented reality in the factory: guiding the action at the workstation
An operator assembles a sub-assembly on their line. The operational range is printed, placed on the workbench, stained. To check a reference or a torque, they release their part, wipe their hands, turn the pages. The tablet at the workstation is three meters away, on its stand. Each round trip costs a few seconds and breaks the sequence of the action.
It's not a question of goodwill. It's a question of format. The information the operator needs exists in the information system, but it doesn't arrive at the right place, at the right time, in a usable form with hands occupied.
Augmented reality addresses this specific point. It displays the instruction on the part, within the operator's field of vision, without them leaving their station or their action. Myxed designs these applications for the factory, from operational guidance to guided control, integrating them into the systems already in place.
What augmented reality changes at the workstation
Augmented reality overlays digital elements onto the real environment: a marker on the area to be controlled, an arrow on the tightening point, the tolerance value next to the dimension. The operator keeps their hands free. They work on the part, not on a separate screen.
Three concrete differences compared to the paper range or the tablet.
The information is anchored. The instruction is displayed on the object it describes. The operator no longer makes the mental translation between a diagram on a sheet and the part in front of them.
The sequence is maintained. The system presents the steps in the planned order. The operator validates one step before moving on to the next. The rare or infrequently repeated action remains framed.
The trace is established at the workstation. Each validated step, each reported deviation, each photo taken is recorded at the moment of the act. The data is no longer reconstructed from memory at the end of the shift.
Augmented reality is useful when the operator needs to see, compare, and decide without letting go of their part. It is less useful for a task repeated a thousand times a day, where the gesture is already automatic.
Four uses of augmented reality in the factory
Operational guidance at the workstation
The system displays the step-by-step procedure on the assembly: order of operations, screw points, installation direction, expected values. The operator follows the sequence without leaving the workstation. This use is suitable for low-speed assembly, short series, and stations with high variability of references.
Remote technical assistance
An operator is stuck on a breakdown or a non-standard operation. They share their view with a remote expert, who annotates the machine in their field of vision. The diagnosis is made without moving. This use is detailed on the hub expertise and remote assistance in mixed reality.
Guided quality control
The operator follows a control range displayed on the part, with tolerances next to each dimension. They capture the result of each point at the moment they observe it. The guided quality control in augmented reality reduces variability between controllers and freezes traceability at the moment of control.
Training on real workstation
A newcomer learns a gesture on the equipment itself, guided step by step, without needing to mobilize a trainer for each session. The mixed reality training device for industry covers rare, risky, or costly actions to repeat on real machines.
Augmented reality or mixed reality: which layer for which position
Augmented reality displays information as an overlay, without the digital reacting to the physical space. Mixed reality anchors digital objects in the room: they take into account surfaces, distances, and the operator's movements.
For a display of instructions at the workstation, augmented reality is often sufficient. For guidance that must stay fixed on a machine while the operator moves around, mixed reality becomes necessary. The choice depends on the task, not the headset. The page what is augmented reality clarifies these distinctions, and the landscape of mixed reality in industry places each layer by use case.
What augmented reality does not do
It does not replace the operator's judgment. In a borderline case, a part that "does not seem normal" without a nameable reason, the decision remains human.
It does not compensate for a poorly written procedure. If the paper range is ambiguous, the augmented version will be as well. Transitioning to augmented reality forces clarification of the procedure. This is often the first gain of the project.
It does not deploy across an entire factory at once. A poorly chosen workstation, an unstable network, or a headset unsuitable for the environment is enough to block adoption.
Integrating augmented reality without rewriting the information system
The application reads the data where it is: range in the ERP or MES, history in the CMMS, plans in the document management system. It returns them to the workstation, without double entry. The control systems remain in place.
Myxed composes the device according to the use case: headset or glasses depending on the need for hands-free and the constraints of the area, 3D engine according to the content, custom-developed IT connectors maintained over time. Headset, platform, and integration are not chosen from a catalog, but aligned with the task.
Frame a first position before generalizing
Frame. Identify the position(s) where augmented guidance produces a net gain: low cadence, high variability, rare gesture, quality or safety issue. Define the starting measure, cycle time or recovery rate, before any modification.
Prototype. Test the interface on the actual position, with the relevant operators. Validate readability, display stability, integration with the IT system.
Build. Develop the consolidated version based on field feedback.
Deploy. Extend position by position, keeping the feedback loop open for adjustments.
This sequencing avoids launching the project everywhere at once, where each unanticipated exception delays the whole.
Frequently asked questions
Augmented reality displays information overlaid on reality. Mixed reality anchors digital objects in the physical space of the position: they react to surfaces, distances, and movements. For a display of instructions, augmented reality is sufficient. For guidance fixed on a machine while the operator moves, mixed reality becomes necessary.
Not always. Guidance can come through glasses, a headset, or a tablet depending on the position and the need for hands-free. The headset is necessary when the operator must keep both hands on the part continuously.
Yes. The application reads the range, history, and plans from existing systems via custom connectors. The operator sees the information at the workstation, without double entry. The control tools are not replaced.
Between three and six months depending on the complexity of the IT integrations. A two-week scoping session specifies the scope and timeline before any development.
The gain primarily concerns the cycle time of low-cadence operations and the reduction of rework related to a poorly read instruction. The measurement is done workstation by workstation, before and after, over a comparable period.
Go further
Overview of mixed reality in industry to situate each layer of reality by use case. For guided inspection, see the guided quality control in augmented reality, and for assistance from a remote expert, the expertise and remote assistance hub.
Each workstation, each procedure has its constraints. A first scoping workshop allows for evaluating whether augmented reality is the right answer for your site.