The Fraunhofer Institute and DB Schenker have developed an employee training program utilizing 3D technology and virtual reality in their joint Enterprise Lab for Logistics and Digitalization.
The program focuses on packaging and order-picking processes and is the first to launch as part of the initiative.
The training program is built around six exercises that teach the participants about the processes from start to finish by encouraging playful learning, DB Schenker said in an announcement this week. The employee training course currently is available in German and English, but the company said additional languages easily can be added.
A virtual reality version of the exercises also is in the works. DB Schenker said its employees can don 3D glasses to step into a virtual world where they can interact with the training environment and even learn movement sequences. The technology offers employees an opportunity to perform extensive testing on logistics processes that are still in the implementation phase before they advance to the next phase, the company said, adding that training in a virtual environment increases the efficiency, quality and speed of training.
DB Schenker employees at its contract logistics site in Leipzig, Germany, are the first to use the new training program.
“We have been successfully collaborating with the Fraunhofer Institute for several years, and we have already jointly developed numerous transport and logistics solutions of the future. This innovative employee training program marks yet another milestone in the digitalization of logistics processes and in DB Schenker’s focus on Logistics 4.0,” said Erik Wirsing, vice president of global innovation at Schenker AG.