Concept of PLM Application Integration with VR and AR Techniques

Introduction

For decades, engineers have viewed 3D models on 2D screens. While powerful, this “flat” perspective has limitations when evaluating human-machine interaction or complex assembly sequences. The integration of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) with PLM bridges this gap, allowing stakeholders to interact with the “Digital Twin” in a natural, spatial environment.

• VR (Virtual Reality): Replaces the real world with a fully simulated environment.
• AR (Augmented Reality): Overlays digital information (data, models, instructions) onto the real world.

Key Applications in the Product Lifecycle

1. Immersive Design Reviews (VR)

Instead of looking at a screen, a global team of engineers can “walk” around a 1:1 scale model of a new aircraft engine or a medical device.

• Benefit: Identify ergonomic issues or reachability problems that are invisible in 2D, reducing the need for expensive physical mockups.

2. AR-Assisted Manufacturing and Assembly

Workers on the factory floor can wear AR glasses (like Microsoft HoloLens) that overlay step-by-step assembly instructions directly onto the physical parts.

• Benefit: Drastically reduces human error and training time for complex, low-volume assemblies.

3. Remote Maintenance and Training (AR)

A technician in the field can receive real-time guidance from an expert thousands of miles away. The expert can “draw” in the technician’s field of vision, pointing to specific bolts or sensors that need attention.

• Benefit: Faster repair times (MTTR) and reduced travel costs.

4. Virtual Prototyping and Simulation

Engineers can simulate fluid flows or stress points and visualize them in VR. Seeing a “heat map” of a thermal simulation in 3D space provides a deeper intuitive understanding of the physics at play.

The Strategic Link: Why Integrate with PLM?

VR and AR are only as good as the data they display. Integration with a PLM system is what makes these techniques “industrial-grade”:

• Single Source of Truth: Integration ensures that the VR environment always uses the latest CAD version and the most recent requirements.
• Closed-Loop Feedback: If an engineer discovers a clash in VR, they can “flag” it. The PLM system automatically creates a Change Request linked to that specific 3D coordinate.
• Metadata Access: In AR, a technician can look at a pump and instantly see its maintenance history, BoM details, and safety requirements—all pulled live from the PLM database.

Challenges of VR/AR Adoption

How Visure Solutions Enhances the Inmersive Experience

Visure Requirements ALM Platform provides the “Logic Layer” for your VR/AR strategy:

• Requirement Visualization in Context: Imagine wearing AR glasses and seeing the specific safety requirements for a component “floating” next to it on the factory floor. Visure’s API allows this data flow.
• Traceability of Virtual Discoveries: When an issue is found during a VR design review, Visure ensures that the corrective action is traced back to the original design requirement.
• Compliance Documentation: Visure can record the VR session as evidence of a “Stakeholder Review,” which is often required for regulatory compliance in Medical or Aerospace sectors.

Conclusion: Reality is the New Interface

The integration of VR and AR with PLM marks the end of the “screen-only” era. By allowing engineers to touch, walk through, and interact with their designs, companies can achieve a level of quality and speed that was previously impossible. It is the ultimate expression of the Digital Twin—not just a file, but a presence.

With Visure, your virtual experiences are grounded in real requirements. We ensure that what you see in the virtual world is 100% aligned with your engineering data, making every immersive session a step toward perfection.

Check out the 14-day free trial at Visure and experience how AI-driven change control can help you manage changes faster, safer, and with full audit readiness.