Future ready with virtual reality

Manufacturing is a key process where we have embraced future-ready innovations so that our employees can learn new things quickly and easily. At the same time, manufacturing must also ensure quality, safety and efficiency – crucial tenets in the pharmaceutical world.

After intensive training, workers who join the job floor are often overwhelmed by the plant environment and machine sizes for the first few days. In addition, they must apply their training in this environment, which can be challenging. We realised that a simulated training environment could go a long way to teach new employees the ropes, without them being intimidated by the equipment and keeping safe.

Enter our Virtual Reality Labs in Hyderabad and Vizag, where our employees train in manufacturing processes before getting on the production floor. They get accustomed to their work environment, learn to perform safety checks, machine operations and quality checks, and can afford to make mistakes and correct them, which would be disastrous in a real plant environment.
 
The success of any virtual reality implementation project stands on selecting the most challenging scenarios and converting them into simulated cases or situations. Our content and technology partners worked seamlessly together to replicate our plant designs, machines and processes in the virtual world so that our employees can train in accurate modes and environments. For example, the VR module of our compression machine has the employee performing various tasks virtually such as wearing PPEs, reviewing safety checks, machine calibrations and so on. In real life, this is a huge hydraulics machine where a new operator may face a variety of safety and efficiency challenges.

Our virtual reality training programmes help to bridge gaps in skill among incoming employees. It is at least 40 percent more efficient than traditional training methods and allows trainers to monitor employees’ psychomotor skills, their levels of alertness and their reactions during emergencies. And our people, in turn, enjoy the experience.

Sridhar Sunkara, who did the VR Fermentation module, says, “This is an excellent initiative. The machine is very interactive, it will definitely boost interest in learning.” In fact, those who have trained in our VR labs are eagerly awaiting the opening of our third lab at Baddi. “This setup is very good, and it provides excellent on-the-job training,” says Shweta Sharma, who attended the Blender module.

As we go onwards and upwards, we know our people are the wind beneath our wings. We are committed to empowering them using the latest technologies and scientific know-how.

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