A use case study comparing augmented reality (AR) and electronic document-basedmaintenance instructions considering tasks complexity and operator competency level

Augmented reality (AR) is more and more used in the industrial context for maintenance, assembly operation. However, owing to the evolution and maturity of the technology, it is still necessary to evaluate the usage and benefits of AR in an industrial context to go further than proof of concept. As such, this paper proposes an analysis of AR case study in the literature. Then, this paper presents a methodology for comparing AR and electronic document-based complex maintenance instructions considering tasks complexity and operator competency level. The main results show that the consultation duration of the AR tablet is 34% statistically faster than the PDF tablet. It also shows that error concerning similar objects is reduced thanks to AR. Moreover, the study specifically focuses on types of task that worth using AR. However, the study shows that usability of the AR device is less well rated than the PDF for “beginner–intermediate” operators. Finally, an in-depth analysis permits extracting recommendations of the different factors to take into account with industrial AR applications.