A Virtual World Optimizing Industrial Training and Operations

Digital transformation across industries has been accelerating throughout the years. It has influenced the workplace as it has evolved how people work, how they learn and how they’re trained.

With the most experienced workers retiring, more digital natives are entering the workforce to take their place. This has left companies with the need to teach and train them while fostering a new appealing work culture revolving around new technologies.

This is where a virtual and mixed-reality-based tool such as Honeywell’s Immersive Field Simulator (IFS) can help optimize the training and learning journey for industrial workers while minimizing situations that can result in operational downtime.

Increasing worker competency and collaboration

Learning by doing is the method valued by the new incoming digital native workforce. By incorporating a digital twin of physical plant operations, the IFS enables an opportunity for targeted, on-demand skilled-based training for workers.

While wearing the VR headset, workers navigate hands-on and interact through the plant’s digital twin, allowing them to become familiarized with the layout as well as the location of any necessary equipment.

Since the simulation features avatars that represent live virtual team members, workers are able to increase their competency at a faster pace since workers can learn and collaborate together from virtual experiences and scenarios.

Safe learning environment

Enabled by the IFS, industrial workers are also able to learn and train in a safe environment through the digital twin of the real-life plant.

Given that the new wave of workers entering the workforce learn by practicing, this learning tool allows them to simulate and immerse themselves in different scenarios, especially those that could lead to emergencies and operational downtime.

By being able to practice safely and realistically, workers develop the skills and knowledge needed to appropriately respond. This allows both workers and companies to prepare effective responses to unplanned events where they can respond faster and potentially decrease safety risks.

Flexibility for workers and businesses

The simulation experience the IFS provides can be customized by the specific training needs and requirements of each business. This is usually done during the early stages of the program where skills are evaluated in order to help identify gaps and build plants to competency.

The simulator’s on-premises and cloud-hosted device-agnostic platform incorporates flexible 3D models that grows with your business needs. Its cloud-hosted training modules and e-learning solutions also provides workers with the opportunity to learn where and when it’s convenient.

The tool also features a lesson editor and asset library tools that can allow management to easily customize training scenarios to meet your specific requirements without the need to have any special coding skills.

With the newest version of the IFS – R120 – a simulation engine can be incorporated that enables customers to build field operator training lessons without having to link to a larger panel operator simulator.

This latest version provides more flexibility in how training is conducted and alleviates the need to pull multiple operators off shift for sessions. It also can facilitate an open platform communications connection to any panel operator simulator you may have.

Technology is evolving and the workforce population is shifting. Industrial companies must adapt to their workers learning and training needs to drive better work performance, retention and safety.

As part of Honeywell’s Workforce 360 program, our Immersive Field Simulator is helping empower each worker with insights and advice that allows them to work better, smarter, more efficiently and more safely.

By providing your workforce with the tools and support that’s necessary to increase competency and productivity, you can ensure your operations are in reliable, capable hands today, tomorrow and for years to come.

Ready to digitally transform your workforce? Contact us to learn more how our Workforce 360 Program can help you drive higher productivity, safety and performance.