Augmented reality overlays computer-generated information on the real view, in real time: an assembly instruction displayed on the part, a sensor value on the machine, a remote expert annotating what the technician sees. Virtual reality, by contrast, immerses the user in a fully simulated environment. In industry, the first is used mainly for maintenance, assembly and inspection; the second for training and for designing workstations and lines.
Augmented, virtual, mixed reality: definitions
- Augmented reality (AR) overlays reality with elements (sounds, 2D or 3D images, videos) computed by a computer system in real time. The user still sees their real surroundings.
- Virtual reality (VR) simulates a user's physical presence in a software-generated environment, engaging several senses such as sight and hearing. The real world disappears.
- Mixed reality merges real and virtual worlds, where physical and digital objects coexist and interact in real time: a 3D model placed on a table stays in place as you walk around it.
- Extended reality (XR) is the term covering all three.
Augmented reality should not be confused with the digital twin either: the twin is the model of the plant or machine; augmented or virtual reality is one way of looking at it.
Use cases in the plant
- Maintenance and field work: displaying the procedure step by step on the equipment, showing an animation of the disassembly, keeping hands free.
- Remote assistance: an expert sees what the on-site technician's headset or tablet is filming and annotates the image live, without travelling.
- Assembly instructions: overlaying the 3D assembly sequence on the real part, at the workstation.
- Quality inspection: comparing the produced part with its 3D model, spotting a position deviation or a missing component.
- Training: in virtual reality, practising a rare or dangerous procedure without stopping the line or risking an accident.
- Workstation and line design: checking a workstation's ergonomics or a line layout in virtual reality before building it.
What manufacturers say
- SNCF deployed augmented reality for the maintenance of the new seats of its TGV duplex trainsets, which combine electronics, pneumatics and complex mechanisms: technicians view the thirty maintenance procedures in a headset, instead of some thirty paper sheets. The road was long: a first demonstrator in 2018, industrial trials in 2020, the use case finalised in March 2021. The project lead then cited headsets at 3,500 euros, a return on investment that is not immediately visible, and the need to multiply use cases to absorb fixed costs. The team had to start from the seats' digital mock-ups, from PLM, to produce for example the animation of a cylinder replacement (Journal du Net, 17/08/2021).
- Renault Trucks tested augmented reality for engine quality inspection at its Lyon plant, to shorten inspection time and reduce operators' mental load.
At Tech for Industry Show 2026, at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles:
- Dassault Systèmes presented the use of augmented reality on the shop floor, on a tablet, by projector or with glasses, to overlay 3D assembly instructions on the real part and assist quality inspection, by day or by night. Read the article
- Renault Group described its industrial metaverse: a real-time replica of its physical assets, fed by about 5 billion data points a day and made up of nearly a million digital twins, which serves as the foundation for AI in maintenance, energy and quality control. Read the article
- Transition Technologies PSC, an integrator of industrial solutions, counts augmented reality for remote maintenance among its competence centres. Read the article
The talks can be watched again as replays: Industrial AI at the heart of virtual twins, From factory digital twins to the integration of humanoid robots.
Hardware: headsets, glasses, tablets
Three families of devices coexist:
- tablets and smartphones, already present on shop floors, the cheapest and simplest to deploy, but they take up one hand;
- augmented or mixed reality headsets and glasses, which leave hands free and display information in the field of view;
- virtual reality headsets, for training and design reviews.
The market moves fast, and not always in the expected direction: Microsoft stopped producing its HoloLens 2 mixed reality headset (reported in October 2024), with security updates until the end of 2027. In January 2026, Meta announced it would stop selling its Quest headsets to businesses. For a manufacturer, the lesson is to choose software that does not depend on a single device, and to check how long the hardware will be supported before deploying.
What makes a project succeed
- Up-to-date 3D data: without a reliable digital mock-up, from PLM or a survey of the installation, there is nothing accurate to overlay.
- A precise, frequent use case: a complex, repeated intervention where errors are costly; a one-off use does not pay for the hardware.
- Scripting: which information, at what moment, in what form, for which operator.
- The shop floor: network coverage, wearing the headset with protective equipment, lighting, noise.
- The users: convincing them of the benefit before roll-out, and starting from their real difficulties.
The 2027 augmented and virtual reality exhibitors
To meet at Tech for Industry Show 2027 (in alphabetical order):
- Transition Technologies PSC: integrator of PLM, IoT and Industry 4.0 solutions, with augmented reality expertise for remote maintenance.
- YZAR: immersive digital twins of industrial facilities for training, maintenance, intervention preparation and risk prevention.
How to start an augmented reality project
1. Choose a use case: a frequent, complex or risky intervention, with an indicator to improve (duration, errors, training time).
2. Gather the data: 3D models, procedures, up-to-date bills of materials.
3. Choose the device for the workstation: tablet, glasses or headset, checking the support period.
4. Test on the shop floor with a few operators, in real conditions.
5. Measure before and after, on the chosen indicator.
6. Extend to other use cases on the same data and hardware base, to pay back the investment.
Frequently asked questions
What is augmented reality in industry?
Displaying digital information on the real view of a piece of equipment or a part, on a tablet, glasses or headset, to guide a repair, an assembly or an inspection.
Can you give some examples of augmented reality?
Maintenance procedures for TGV seats displayed in a headset at SNCF; engine quality inspection at Renault Trucks in Lyon; 3D assembly instructions projected onto the part at the workstation.
How is virtual reality used in industry?
Mainly for training, especially for rare or dangerous procedures, and to check a workstation's ergonomics or a line layout before building them.
What is the difference between augmented and virtual reality?
Augmented reality adds elements to the real world, which the user still sees; virtual reality replaces it with a fully simulated environment.
How much does an augmented reality headset cost?
In 2021, SNCF cited headsets at 3,500 euros. Tablets already on the shop floor make it possible to start without this hardware.
