Image Beyond the Screen

10The Factory of the Future, Augmented Reality and Projection Mapping

10.1. Introduction

Projection mapping is not limited to leisure, the entertainment industry or marketing, where it now occupies a recognized and increasingly important place. Projection mapping finds a place in traditional industry. More precisely, the use of projection mapping potentially makes sense in the “factory of the future” approach that is currently emerging in industrialized countries. Technologically related to augmented reality, projection mapping, a major consumer of hardware and software resources in information technology, has real potential for use in digital and connected factories. Demonstrators prove this and, beyond that, complete systems are already operational within the manufacturing facilities in some companies.

10.2. The factory of the future

10.2.1. The process

The concept of the factory of the future¹ is entirely linked to the context of globalization and the relocation of a significant part of the manufacturing industries of Western countries (plus Japan and South Korea) to low labor cost countries. The factory of the future approach is the result of highlighting the importance of maintaining an innovative manufacturing industry in these countries. As far as Europe is concerned, the factory of the future approach is thus part of the 8th Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP8) and its Horizon 2020 and Factories of the Future programmes.

Figure 10.1. The “factory ...