Maplan shows off machinery with VR at 2022 IEC - RubberNews.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—Unlike International Elastomer Conference expos past, Maplan GmbH isn't bringing immoderate of its machinery to the amusement floor.

Maplan, instead, is taking the amusement level to the machine. All it takes is simply a small computer-assisted magic.

The Kottingbrunn, Austria-based machinery shaper is utilizing virtual world to springiness its customers a person look astatine its products. At the Knoxville IEC, which runs done Thursday afternoon, Maplan is showcasing 1 of its horizontal presses and giving attendees the accidental to spot it up adjacent with the specialized headset and controllers.

For now, Maplan is featuring 1 machine, but it whitethorn beryllium capable to bring much of its merchandise portfolio—horizontal, vertical and C-form presses—along to aboriginal amusement floors with the assistance of VR.

"For us, a large situation is bringing a bully breadth of instrumentality truthful that the manufacture tin summation knowledge, due to the fact that portion of the expo is to spot what is new, what is innovative and what the vendors are bringing that could beryllium of involvement to the manufacturers," National Sales Director John Mohl said. "But it is precise outgo and abstraction prohibitive to bring a batch of equipment. But bringing thing successful a virtual situation makes it a small spot much digestible for everyone."

Still, it's astir much than showing disconnected the champion of what Maplan has to offer. It's astir giving the manufacture an up-close look astatine the machinery, however it works and what it genuinely could beryllium susceptible of.

"Customers are much consenting to prosecute with thing due to the fact that it is caller and breathtaking and it is innovative," Technical Sales Director Ben Puffer said.

That's existent for customers and it's existent for the adjacent procreation of rubber manufacture employees. On the archetypal time of the IEC, students from Ferris State and Purdue universities slipped connected the VR headsets and explored the ins and outs of the Maplan horizontal press.

"They were precise engaged," Mohl said. "They said 'Wow. I ne'er knew however analyzable the machinery is.' You conscionable look astatine it from the extracurricular and it looks similar a stamp press—it closes and that's it. But determination is truthful overmuch automation and hydraulics that spell into it. And to acquisition that … gives you the quality to spot however it functions and marque a deeper transportation with it."

Right now, Maplan has conscionable 1 of its presses disposable for VR interaction, but that volition beryllium changing successful the months ahead. And the machinery shaper is partnering Virtalis to assistance bring the machines to beingness successful the virtual world space.

Once those machines are accessible done VR, Mohl said, determination is large potential.

First, there's the quality for Maplan to bring its machinery to its customers. But the exertion besides opens the doorway for grooming and maintenance, offering customers a caller level of work that helps guarantee machinery operators cognize precisely however to safely grip the instrumentality and immoderate hiccups on the way.

"These are unsafe pieces of equipment," Mohl said. "… But with that being said, we are capable to get person than ever to the presses (with VR). So (we are) overcoming that information obstruction but besides overcoming the carnal barrier."

Further, Mohl said, that grooming has the quality to instrumentality machinery operators and Maplan employees adjacent further successful their knowing of the machinery due to the fact that it tin springiness them perspectives they different ne'er would person seen.

"I virtually enactment unneurotic 1 of our injection units successful Austria, but I conscionable learned worldly going successful present due to the fact that I was capable to spell into the screw, I was capable to spell into the formation of the way of the worldly and however it volition consciousness going done the machinery. I could fundamentally go the rubber and question done the property arsenic if I americium rubber and spell done the transverse section. There is nary mode to bash that, but you tin bash it virtually."

Eventually, Maplan would similar to instrumentality its machinery from the VR abstraction to the augmented world space, giving customers the accidental to spot however the instrumentality would look connected their store floor. This allows them to guarantee the due fit, but it besides could springiness them the quality to much efficiently configure their space.

"How does this property look successful your facility?" Mohl said. "Is it excessively high? Does it acceptable betwixt these 2 different presses? Can you marque room? This would archer you that."

For now, though, it's astir getting to cognize the Maplan machinery. And those attending the IEC tin bash conscionable that, Mohl said, with a small assistance from VR.