Although VR goggles are already widely used for soft skills training, they can also be successfully used in hard skills training. Therefore Flint Systems, a Polish producer of VR training simulators has started to offer these products to the market. Ports, warehousing, offshore, military, constructions, power industry – these are just a few sectors that can benefit from VR simulation training.
Image Source: Flint Systems
What is a VR simulator?
Virtual reality training simulator has two sides – software and hardware. Software is an application that can “contains” any kind of virtual machinery – be it a crane, ship, train, vehicle, etc. The virtual machinery has all the features and characteristics of the real one – at Flint Systems we like to call it the “VR twin” of the real machine.
Besides software, the simulator consists of a hardware part – goggles, motion platform, joysticks, steering wheels, pedals, sensors to track user’s hand movements, and other electronic components, including those that are custom-made. They are integrated with software and their usage guarantees full immersion of a trainee.
What is very important is that you can have more than one software installed on one platform, this means that one physical hardware serves many machines.
How does VR training look?
VR training is very simple. The trainee sits with goggles on, hands-on joysticks, (and feet on pedals, if needed). The VR goggles take the trainee to the virtual world. It is a case of just sitting down and putting on a VR headset and you’re away. The machine in VR behaves exactly as it does in real life. The machine’s movements are mirrored by the motion platform, making the trainee feel exactly as if he/she was inside the real machine. Heavy winds, breaking the ropes, waves on the open sea, sudden braking – it all can be fully reflected and therefore a VR simulator creates one of the best, fully immersive experiences.
Thanks to the combination of software and hardware we get a fully immersive result that trains real skills in the virtual world.
Image Source: Flint Systems
What machines are already available in VR?
As of November 2021 Flint Systems have successfully delivered the following VR machines:
- Forklift (In progress to be delivered by December 21st 2021)
- CTV boat
- Tower crane
- Rubber-tyred gantry crane (RTG)
- Ship to shore crane (STS)
- Port crane
- Mobile crane
- Reachstacker
However, our team is constantly working on new machines. VR training simulators can meet the challenges of any industry. It can be successfully introduced everywhere machine operators work.
What are the benefits of using VR training simulators?
- Safety. VR training simulators train real skills in the virtual world, and this means that they are completely safe for people and equipment. On the contrary, training inexperienced persons on real equipment can lead to machine damages and people’s injuries or even deaths.
- No operational breaks. VR training simulator does not cause any breaks in everyday operations, because there is no need to renting real machines.
- Training life-threatening scenarios. Thanks to the VR training we have the chance to go through life-threatening scenarios, like accidents, health and safety procedures. The trainees will learn how to go through dangerous situations step by step and at the same time develop their motor memory.
- Price. VR simulators are cheaper than conventional training that requires place and real equipment. These costs are huge. And what’s more VR training simulators are cheaper than old-type screen-based simulators. The cost of that kind of simulator is high because the screens cost tens of thousands of euros. And still, only a VR training simulator provides full immersion.
VR training simulators from Flint Systems – Explainer Video
