Virtual Assembly for Engineering – A Systematic Literature Review

In the course of digitalization, information technologies are increasingly finding their way into product engineering processes. The planning and execution of the product assembly are fundamental steps that are closely linked to product quality as well as production efficiency. Therefore, the approach of virtual assembly emerged in which virtual and augmented reality technologies are utilized to support planning and operational activities related to the assembly of products. This paper explores the concept of virtual assembly by investigating the common definitions of the term. It provides an overview of all documented use cases of virtual assembly in the literature from the last 10 years and highlights the benefits and characteristics of these applications. Furthermore, current challenges and fields of action regarding the development und usage of such applications are discussed.