The Application of VR Technology in Production Process Planning as a Support for Sustainable Development

Modern manufacturing enterprises strive to increase process efficiency while simultaneously reducing resource consumption and improving the working conditions of operators. In this context, the importance of digital tools supporting the design and analysis of production processes is growing, such as computer simulations and virtual reality (VR) technologies, which enable the evaluation of designed solutions even before their implementation. The article presents the possibilities of using VR technology in the analysis and optimization of a production process based on a case study. The applied methodology included defining evaluation indicators, developing a simulation model in the FlexSim environment, verifying the functioning of the process using computer simulation and immersive VR, and then introducing improvements followed by a re-analysis of the process. The evaluation included indicators of process efficiency, operator utilization, transport distances, electricity consumption, and qualitative observations concerning ergonomics and work organization. The applied approach made it possible to increase process efficiency, improve operator utilization, and reduce transport distances while simultaneously improving work organization. The results confirm the validity of using simulation supported by immersive techniques as a tool for supporting the design and optimization of production processes and for identifying problems that are difficult to detect using classical simulation methods.