AkzoNobel Utilises Virtual Reality to Promote Sustainability
The virtual reality (VR) training system created by AkzoNobel as a component of its Aerofleet training offering will be shown at the event.
AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings is now prioritising the development of virtual reality (VR) technology with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) professionals in their future responsibilities related to aircraft painting and repainting.
Teams from AkzoNobel’s Waukegan, Illinois plant will be allowing guests to engage in a virtual world where they may experience the obstacles they encounter in a real-world setting.
The company’s Aerofleet training portfolio incorporates VR technology, which consists of a headgear specifically intended to fully immerse the painter in a virtual paint booth, replete with the aircraft component that has to be coated. The system has the capability to be configured with diverse paint requirements, including the desired coating thickness. While operating the spray gun, the operator may visually assess the amount of paint utilised and identify any irregularities in the application process.
The proficiency of the operator may also be assessed by evaluating the distance, angle, and velocity at which the firearm is used. The system provides information on the occurrence of runs and sags, as well as detects instances when the wet film thickness is insufficient or the coverage is inadequate to provide a smooth finish.
The business asserts that the technology is not only applicable to trainees, but also serves as a means of enhancing or rejuvenating the skills of current artists. If a painter has been using a polyurethane topcoat and wishes to transition to a paint with a distinct specification that requires a greater or lesser quantity of paint to be applied, this may be included into the system to accurately reproduce the spray booth experience.
Matthew Amick, the worldwide technical services manager at AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings, explains that incorporating virtual reality (VR) into the training programme of a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company is an illustration of the company’s commitment to assisting its clients. According to Amick, often, when a client asks for training, we are obligated to provide large quantities of paint, a considerable percentage of which is wasted. By successfully relocating the spray booth to the classroom, we achieve a total elimination of waste, cost reduction, and wasteful shipping, while also preventing the discharge of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The individual also asserts that there are no expenses or time commitments linked to the cleaning of the spray guns, the production of extra volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the solvents involved, or the provision of the necessary panels for wet paint training. Virtual Reality (VR) allows clients to expedite the training of painters and allows them to make errors without paying exorbitant expenses for trash and rework.