Apprenticeship and training programs in advanced manufacturing frequently encounter safety and accessibility concerns due to using heavy machinery. Virtual Reality (VR) training addresses such constraints while maintaining the spatial and procedural learning requirements of such training. However, designing effective VR training is challenging because advanced manufacturing processes are complex and require experts to train novices for a long time. This paper presents a VR Training Apprenticeship (VRTA) tailored for cold spray, which we carefully designed to teach novices step-by-step this particular advanced manufacturing process. To assess its effectiveness, we conducted an exploratory study ($n = 22$). We evaluated user experience (UX) measures in the form of quantitative scales, users' qualitative insights, and task performance with real-world machinery after the VR training. We discuss how the VRTA design contributed to the effectiveness and the challenges of considering VR training for advanced manufacturing.

翻译：先进制造领域的学徒与培训项目常因使用重型机械而面临安全性与可及性问题。虚拟现实（VR）培训可在满足此类培训对空间及流程学习要求的同时，突破上述限制。然而，由于先进制造工艺复杂度高且需专家长期指导新手，设计有效的VR培训仍具挑战性。本文提出一种专为冷喷涂工艺定制的VR培训学徒系统（VRTA），该系统通过精心设计的步骤向新手传授这一特定先进制造工艺。为评估其有效性，我们开展了一项探索性研究（$n = 22$），通过量化量表评估用户体验指标，收集用户定性反馈，并考察受训者在完成VR培训后操作实际设备的任务表现。本文进一步探讨了VRTA设计如何提升培训成效，以及将VR培训应用于先进制造领域所面临的挑战。