A restyling to represent the technology of the future: that is what the Virtual Lab within Leonardo's Aircraft Division site in Turin has undergone. It is a space of about 90 square metres, located along a tour route for customers, delegations and illustrious guests, which houses strategic software and systems for the education and training of aircraft maintainers.
The Turin site is both strategic and historic in terms of the Group's business: over time, therefore, the desire arose to give the Virtual Lab a clear identity that reflects its value and, above all, highlights its technologies. Leonardo Global Solutions (LGS) supported the Division throughout the entire renovation process, from identifying the supplier to managing the design and construction developments, from the conception of the initiative to the organisation of equipment and furnishing.
"Teamwork between the various structures was key to achieving our goal; that's what allowed us to deploy everyone's skills across the board," says Margherita Capuano, Events Manager at LGS. "The core of the activity was supporting the Division to ensure the design, development and delivery of the service to the business. Working in a diverse team, made up of colleagues with different professional skills, gave us a more complete point of view, including greater technical knowledge that proved invaluable for overseeing the project and coordinating suppliers, in both the design and execution phases."
The space was redistributed to create a small technical room for Computer Based Training (CBT), the Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT) and the Virtual Reality System (VRS). VRS is a technology that enables the simulation of virtual maintenance, using 3D visors and haptic gloves, replacing the physical presence of materials and aircraft with learning devices and software.
"The Virtual Lab is located in a historic building within the factory which, until a few years ago, housed Mechanical Workshops and is now home to advanced simulation laboratories," says Tommaso Di Pillo, Head of the North West Industrial Cluster of LGS. "This demonstrates how our plants are capable of evolving to accommodate different business initiatives. In this process, the knowledge and experience of our colleagues onsite, who guided the choice of spaces in order to make the best use of the existing assets, has been crucial."
"Collaboration between the Engineering of Leonardo's Aircraft Division and Leonardo Global Solutions at the Turin site has always been very close and developing this new activity has further reinforced the relationship. The working group immediately focused on overcoming difficulties and achieving the objective," says Luca Greco, Head of the Turin Maintenance Services of the Aircraft Division. "The model adopted, involving meetings and dialogue about which solutions to implement, has produced excellent, high-quality results, immersing visitors to the Virtual Lab in an innovative and technologically advanced environment."
History is thus brought back to life, continuing to tell a story of technology and innovation. What was once the headquarters of Mechanical Workshops is today still a place for safeguarding and designing the future, a centre of excellence for creating digital and virtual worlds and developing the skills of tomorrow.