JFE Steel has been providing safety education using computer graphics (CG) and virtual reality (VR) to all employees working at the site.
JFE has introduced a training simulator for the operation of adjusting the amount of molten steel cast in a continuous casting machine that utilises the latest mixed reality (MR) technology for the first time in the world steel industry.
With MR technology, it is possible to create a training environment that combines the movement of people in the real world with a virtual factory accurately reproduced on a computer.
MR technology-based training provides a realistic experience of equipment operation, such as moving around the equipment, handling tools, and operating switches as if you were in the real operation site.
One of the reasons for introducing this system is that the ratio of young employees is increasing at JFE due to the rapid generation change at manufacturing sites.
In order to maintain and improve the skill level of younger employees, we have assigned specialised staff to transfer skills through the standardisation of skills and knowledge.
However, we had to rely on on-the-job training (OJT) for some high-risk on-site operations.
In order to solve these problems, JFE decided to use MR technology, especially for operations that require special skills, such as high-temperature melts, since we believe that virtual environment training is effective in addition to desktop education and OJT.
JFE is planning to expand the range of facilities covered by this training simulator to further promote the transfer of skills to younger employees.