AR Revolutionizes Packaging Operations

Harpak-ULMA Packaging is leveraging cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) solutions to address challenges in the packaging industry and meet customer needs. As a leader in the industry, they understand the importance of innovation and efficiency. The company has been at the forefront of using AR to solve real-world business problems and ensure peak operating performance for the packing machines their customers rely on.

In recent years, Harpak-ULMA has faced unprecedented conditions that have changed traditional methods and protocols. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Harpak-ULMA must adapt to the new reality, ensuring they can cope with increased machine and process complexity. Additionally, Harpak-ULMA's customers face workforce challenges, including labor retention, employee training, scarcity of technical skills, and staff shortages.

To bring value to its customers, Harpak-ULMA has adopted a strategy focused on smart, connected, AR-enabled machines. These machines not only address the skills gap and optimize efficiencies but also provide a competitive edge in crowded markets. Harpak-ULMA aims to use AR to efficiently scale employee expertise and give their workforce the knowledge needed to succeed.

The Vuforia Enterprise AR Suite provides Harpak-ULMA with the flexibility to create solutions that optimize packaging operations and meet diverse customer needs. AR offers rich, visually based training, on-demand expert guidance, and in-context, step-by-step instructions and assurance for complex tasks, that can be accessed at any time, from anywhere.

One key benefit of AR is accelerated training. AR allows for the quick onboarding of new hires and the upskilling of current employees. Employees and customers can learn through AR training sequences, improving retention, speeding time to proficiency, and building confidence. AR-based training helps employees visualize complicated procedures with a combination of videos, text, and images, displayed directly in the context of the real object.

Another benefit of AR is increased accuracy and efficiency. AR provides frontline workers with on-demand, step-by-step visual guidance during critical tasks, reducing the chance of error and enforcing checkpoints. Additionally, AR technology allows domain knowledge to be captured and used to create augmented work instructions that are easily accessible when needed, making even the smallest workforce more capable.

Furthermore, AR can improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by combining IoT technology with AR to facilitate service diagnostics and view real-time performance data. AR service instructions can identify the exact part in need of repair, guide the technician to the exact location, and provide a step-by-step repair sequence, reducing downtime and keeping machines running at peak performance.

In conclusion, AR has a tangible impact on Harpak-ULMA and its customers, leading to revenue growth, improved operating margin, and addressing the manufacturing and service skills gap. By implementing AR effectively, organizations can increase the performance of their most important resource—their people—through faster and more cost-efficient knowledge transfer, training, and communication.