An Augmented Reality tool to support Industry 5.0 operators in product assembly activities

Industries are increasingly integrating innovative technologies to enhance productivity, ensure high-quality products, and reduce costs and time. Augmented reality (AR) plays a key role in this transition, especially in supporting assembly procedures, which are major contributors to production costs and time constraints. Despite advancements, existing practices often lack effective, user-centric applications that fully address usability, user acceptance, and operator experience, particularly in complex industrial environments. This highlights the urgent need for adaptable assembly guidance solutions that offer intuitive, real-time support throughout the assembly process, from sequence definition to deployment of AR systems. This paper introduces an innovative AR assembly guidance tool (ARAGT) designed for industrial assembly in smart factories. ARAGT integrates virtual information into the physical workspace, providing real-time 3D models and assembly instructions to guide operators. Developed through a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach and refined based on user feedback, ARAGT includes functionalities such as assembly sequence definition, customization of graphical elements for clarity, and virtual annotations for issue reporting. Implemented using Unity® and the AR Foundation library, it is compatible with mobile devices, offering flexibility in diverse industrial settings. The paper presents results from a user evaluation conducted in a real facility, assessing usability and acceptance through SUS and TAM standard questionnaires. The findings suggest that ARAGT effectively addresses the challenges of increasing complexity and efficiency demands in manufacturing assembly, providing a user-centric solution aligned with the Industry 5.0 paradigm.