Sergey Kolbasov, Severstal: We try to raise at ourselves competences on virtual and augmented reality

Sergey Kolbasov: As of the beginning of 2019 in Severstal projects on VR technologies are mainly kept regarding training. It is about virtual exercise machines for training of production personnel and also for working off of skills of working specialties for which it is difficult to collect demos stands, but which require the maximum immersion. Some projects are already started in industrial use.

Olga Peshina: In 2018 we developed a rate for an improvised staleplav for Cherepovets iron and steel works. This is the employee who within the job responsibilities takes samples of liquid metal from the furnace ladle installation and checks temperature and quality. There are two modes:

1. отработки skills when the sequence of actions for sampling is fulfilled in virtual reality with hints;

1. режим examination when all hints are removed.

This rate was started in industrial use in December, 2018.

In work there is one more rate using technologies of virtual reality – working off of the security regulation and behavior in an emergency situation. It is intended for our mining companies. In virtual reality to the worker the real model of production is loaded, the emergency situation is imitated, and the worker works it and defines evacuation points from any place of the virtual platform.

Sergey Kolbasov: In terms of use of augmented reality we created a prototype of the interactive assistant for our directorate on repairs, but so far suspended this work. In a work progress over a prototype it became clear that target displays of augmented reality, namely "smart" points, are not absolutely ready for application on real production yet. They are rather fragile, have extremely limited battery capacity, are not integrated with individual protection equipment.

Meanwhile everything that becomes in the world - it is the solutions which are very limited on functionality. At the same time, we expect break regarding devices within the next two-three years and we continue to work on creation of content for mobile phones and tablets.

Olga Peshina: Software is developed completely by own efforts. We take models of workshops and mines from our designers, we load them into virtual reality and in uniform Agile to a command with production we create scenarios.

Sergey Kolbasov: We try to raise at ourselves competences on VR and AR. We see in it big perspectives and we want that in Severstal there was one of the best industrial the practician on these technologies. In a command on VR/AR within management on development of modern technologies in us 6 people work, and we are going to increase its number.

Sergey Kolbasov: At this stage of development of technology it is more economic to have the highly professional command. At the same time we, of course, will attract players from the market at stages of replication of technology.

Olga Peshina: We use the exact copies constructed on the basis of the project documentation of objects, but we understood that it is excessive, and we do not need so exact model. We spend a lot of time that to facilitate this model in virtual reality. We look towards creation of models on the basis of scanning of premises photographing and creations of models independently, without centimetric accuracy.

Sergey Kolbasov: We in the company find a lot of time for acquaintance to digital technologies and their promoting. For all digital projects without fail there is a business customer and the expected effect of their implementation. When the customer has some idea, we implement it in uniform Agile to a command, we always show all opportunities of technical means which we have. All projects are executed within an investment program

Sergey Kolbasov: At us so far VR is applied generally in the field of labor protection and industrial security. On them we do not consider economic effect as security for us is one of strategic priorities.

Olga Peshina: On the project in steel-smelting workshops staleplava acted as the customer, and increase in security, reduction of time of training and immersion of employees in production, quality improvement of performance of work is reached here. If sample is taken incorrectly, it affects steel quality and can cause financial losses. In this sense the main effect goes due to reduction of losses, but so far early to speak, how precisely they will be reduced.

Sergey Kolbasov: Yes, we are going to expand application of VR in the field of trainings, design of buildings and constructions on production sites, we also think of creation of digital doubles in virtual reality, we see a number of competitive innovations. Besides, we will continue to keep track of technologies in the field of augmented reality. Here we see the greatest perspectives of their application in the field of assistance to accomplishment of repairs of the equipment.

In terms of the horizons, we expect to implement AR on target devices approximately within 2-3 years, on VR – to implement all projects approved on 2019 and to expand use within 1-2 years.