Virtual reality allows manufacturers to design better products using less time and money compared to traditional methods. It gives designers a 3D view of products early in the design stage, enabling them to spot and fix potential problems before building prototypes. This reduces the number of prototype revisions needed and saves on the costs of repeatedly producing physical prototypes. While virtual reality benefits have been limited to large corporations due to high equipment costs, the technology is becoming more affordable and common, making it a valuable tool for product design across various industries.

1. VIRTUAL REALITY’S IMPACT
ON DESIGNING PRODUCTS

2. VIRTUAL REALITY IS
MORE THAN A WAY TO
PLAYAND INTERACT
WITH VIDEO GAMES. THE
TECHNOLOGY IS USED
ACROSS A VARIETY OF
INDUSTRIES, AND IS
WIDELY USED IN
PRODUCT DESIGN &
MANUFACTURING. IT
ALLOWS
MANUFACTURERS TO
CREATE BETTER
PRODUCTS WITH LESS
TIME & MONEY.

3. LESS TIME
TRADITIONALLY, MANUFACTURING COMPANIES
GO THROUGH MANY STEPS AND STAGES BEFORE
THE FINAL PRODUCT ARE CREATING IS
PRODUCED.
THESE STEPS CAN INCLUDE:
• CREATING THE INITIAL PRODUCT DESIGN ON A
COMPUTER
• MAKING A PROTOTYPE OF THE DESIGN
• WORKING OUT ISSUES WITH THE INITIAL
DESIGN, THEN MAKE AN IMPROVED PROTOTYPE.
THIS STEP IS OFTEN REPEATED UNTIL ALL
PROBLEMS ARE RESOLVED.
• PRODUCE THE FINAL PRODUCT
VIRTUAL REALITY GIVES A 3D VIEW OF PRODUCTS
RIGHT IN THE DESIGN STAGE. THERE ARE A LOT OF
LIMITATIONS TO ONLY USING A FLAT COMPUTER
FOR DETAILS ON MORE COMPLEX PRODUCTS, SO
USING VIRTUAL REALITY:
• HELPS DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS SEE THEIR
PRODUCTS IN A MORE REALISTIC WAY.
• IMPROVES CHANCES OF SPOTTING POTENTIAL
PROBLEMS BEFORE A PROTOTYPE IS EVEN
MANUFACTURED.
• TAKES FEWER REVISIONS BECAUSE PROBLEMS
WERE FOUND AND FIXED USING VIRTUAL
REALITY.
• ALLOWS DESIGNERS TO EXPERIENCE THE
ELEMENTS MORE REALISTICALLY TO CREATE

4. LESS MONEY
PRODUCING COSTS MONEY EACH TIME. IT COSTS MONEY FOR BOTH TIME PAID
TO MANUFACTURERS AND WORKERS, AND FOR MATERIALS.
• BULK MANUFACTURING PRICES ARE USUALLY LOW BECAUSE PRODUCTS ARE
ORDERED IN LARGE QUANTITIES AT A REDUCED COST PER UNIT.
• PRODUCING A PROTOTYPE TAKES MORE MONEY BECAUSE SPECIFICATIONS ARE
STILL BEING ADJUSTED AND ONLY ONE PRODUCT IS MADE FOR BETTER THE
OVERALL COSTS ARE WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR PRODUCTION.
• CREATING ALL THE PROTOTYPES IN VIRTUAL REALITY SOFTWARE COSTS LESS
MONEY THAN CONTINUALLY PRODUCING A PHYSICAL ONE

5. LIMITATIONS
WHILE MANY OF THE WEALTHIEST CORPORATIONS IN THE WORLD HAVE USED VIRTUAL REALITY IN
THEIR COMPANIES FOR DECADES, IT HASN’T BEEN AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
LIMITATIONS INCLUDE:
• HIGH COSTS OF THE SOFTWARE AND THE EQUIPMENT USED TO SUPPORT IT HAVE LIMITED SMALLER
COMPANIES FROM HAVING ACCESS TO THESE BENEFITS.
• IN THE LONG RUN, IT CAN REDUCE COSTS, BUT FUNDING THAT INITIAL PURCHASE IS JUST OUT OF
REACH FOR MANY COMPANIES.
• SPACE FOR THE EQUIPMENT IS HAS BEEN ANOTHER LIMITATION BUT OVER THE YEARS THE
EQUIPMENT IS BECOMING SMALLER IN SIZE.
• AVAILABILITY OF VIRTUAL REALITY EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURING HAS BEEN LIMITED. LUCKILY,
VIRTUAL REALITY IS BECOMING MORE COMMON IN OTHER INDUSTRIES, WHICH HELPS BRING THE
COSTS DOWN FOR EVERYONE.
MANUFACTURING COMPANIES ARE ANXIOUS TO BRING THIS VALUABLE TECHNOLOGY INTO DESIGN
PROCESSES. IT IS PROJECTED THAT WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE, IT WILL BECOME A MORE AFFORDABLE,
ALLOWING IT TO HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT ON THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

6. READ MORE DETAILS & LEARN MORE ABOUT
MAUFACTURING
HTTP://WWW.CLARKRANDP.COM/VIRTUAL-REALITY-IMPACT-DESIGNING-
PRODUCTS/