An interactive environment for virtual manufacturing: the virtual workbench

• Published in: Computers in industry Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 5 - 15
• Main Authors: Weyrich, Michael, Drews, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1999; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Computer generated holography; Human computer interaction; Industrial products; Interactive computer systems; Interactive environment; Manufacturing; Multimedia systems; Product design; Studies; Systems design; User interfaces; Virtual manufacturing; Virtual reality; Virtual workbench; Interactive environment; Virtual manufacturing; Virtual workbench; Industrial products; Virtual reality
• ISSN: 0166-3615; 1872-6194
• DOI: 10.1016/S0166-3615(98)00104-3

The approach of a `virtual workbench' and its application to so-called virtual manufacturing is presented and discussed in this paper. The `virtual workbench' is a drawing board under which virtual objects are projected stereoscopically. The system is strongly interactive and well suited to present multimedia information in a virtual reality environment. The user can watch the 3D scene holographically by using glasses and is able to interact with the system through a 6D input device. The tailor-made `virtual manufacturing' environment supports the advanced man–machine interface concept. The overall system is a new powerful approach for highly relevant industrial application of virtual prototypes which focuses on the construction and assessment of industrial products in an early design stage.