Review · Class4Lasers 2026
On 7 October 2026, education, prevention, welding technology and industry experienced virtual welding and laser safety first-hand at the FH OÖ DigiSpace in Steyr. Thanks to simulation and AI-supported evaluation, every learner has a personal trainer looking over their shoulder. Tell us how things should continue.
Event. Demonstration. Trial installation.
In partnership with
7 October 2026 · FH OÖ DigiSpace Steyr
Event · Demonstration · Trial installation
Class4Lasers continues, wherever there is demand. Tell us in a few questions what you need: another event in your region, a demonstration on your premises or a trial installation in your company or educational institution. We will set location and date based on the responses. We will get back to you personally, without obligation.
Class4Lasers in your region: talks, exchange and live experience.
Express your interestWe bring the simulator to you and show MIG/MAG, TIG and laser welding.
Express your interestTest virtual welding training for a while with your own learners.
Express your interestWhat's next?
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Try it yourself
Can you learn to weld before you ever strike an arc? Experience the Dig in Vision Virtual Welding Center live and train MIG/MAG, TIG and laser welding yourself in XR.
Put on the headset, pick up the virtual torch and start welding.
Train MIG/MAG, TIG and laser welding yourself — with instant feedback.
Train · Evaluate · Repeat
Benefits
Why train virtually?
No arc. No fumes. No material waste. Yet you still train.
Practise welding sequences and new technologies without real welding heat, arc flash, or comparable hazards of hands-on practice.
Practise sequences before heat and arc come into play.
Simulations capture movements, angles and speed instantly — for repeatable, traceable training before real-world application.
Evaluate movement, angle, distance and speed directly.
Repeat virtual exercises as often as needed, without using workpieces, shielding gas and other consumables in every training run.
Repeat without workpieces, shielding gas or ongoing material use.
Portable standard hardware enables training at different locations, without fixed simulator infrastructure.
Portable standard hardware instead of fixed simulator infrastructure.
What is Class4Lasers?
The Platform
Class4Lasers brings together the key players shaping the future of welding training and makes new technologies immediately experienceable.
Class4Lasers brings welding technology, training, workforce and safety together — not as a presentation, but to try for yourself.
XR doesn't replace hands-on welding training. It prepares for it and complements it.
Class4Lasers connects four perspectives: training, workplace safety, science and welding technology – together with AMS, AUVA, FH Oberösterreich and ÖGS.
At Class4Lasers, all training scenarios are shown purely virtually. XR complements hands-on welding training as part of a hybrid training concept – no real welding stations or Class 4 laser systems are used on site.
Beyond welding: photovoltaic installation, soft-skills training and non-destructive testing (NDT) can also be mapped as virtual training scenarios.
State-of-the-art standards: globally available standard hardware (e.g. Meta Quest) instead of proprietary large-scale systems – portable, scalable, field-tested internationally.
Class4Lasers is the platform for the future of welding training: virtual welding simulation, new laser technologies and modern training models – developed together with technology providers, industry and educational institutions, practically experienceable rather than just presented.
With partners such as AMS, AUVA, FH Oberösterreich and ÖGS, Class4Lasers connects four especially relevant perspectives:
At Class4Lasers, all training scenarios are shown purely virtually. XR complements hands-on welding training as part of a hybrid training concept – no real welding stations or Class 4 laser systems are used on site.
Dig in Vision's XR platform is not limited to welding: photovoltaic installation, soft-skills/customer-service training and non-destructive testing (NDT) can also be mapped as virtual training scenarios – see "XR Training Beyond Welding" further below.
Dig in Vision's technology is built on state-of-the-art standards and globally available standard hardware (e.g. Meta Quest) instead of proprietary large-scale systems – portable, scalable and field-tested internationally.
Best Practice
A best-practice project by FH Upper Austria designed to spark the next generation's enthusiasm for technology.
Prepare virtually → apply in practice
As part of the FFG-funded Junior Maker Pioneers project at FH Upper Austria, young participants gained their first experience with welding technology through virtual welding at DigiSpace Steyr. They subsequently applied what they had learned to real workpieces with an external welding-course provider.
XR does not replace practical training – it prepares learners for it and complements it.
Long Night of Research 2026 · Museum Arbeitswelt Steyr · Junior Maker Pioneers / FH Upper Austria
Funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. Implemented as part of the Co-Creation-Spaces Climate & Energy 2022 programme.
Best Practice
Participants in the Junior Maker Pioneers programme at FH Upper Austria trained virtually first — then applied what they learned to a real workpiece.
As part of the FFG-funded Junior Maker Pioneers project at FH Upper Austria, young participants gained their first experience with welding technology through virtual welding at DigiSpace Steyr. They subsequently applied what they had learned to real workpieces with an external welding-course provider.
Funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. Implemented as part of the Co-Creation-Spaces Climate & Energy 2022 programme.
Who is Class4Lasers for?
Who is it for?
What does this mean for your team? Class4Lasers is aimed at everyone actively shaping welding training and welding processes – from training workshops to research.
Training providers · Welding supervisors · Production · Plant management · HR & people development · Training leads
Schools · Universities · Adult education · Training centres · Certification bodies · Research
Regional focus: Upper Austria, western Lower Austria and northern Styria.
Industry & Welding Practice: Industrial companies with welding training & welding processes · Training workshops & apprenticeship providers · Welders · Welding supervisors · Production & plant management · HR & people development · Technical training leads
Education & Research: Vocational schools · Universities & research institutions · Adult education · Further education & training providers · Testing & certification bodies · Technical training centres
Stronger together
Together with partners from workforce development, research, safety and welding technology.
Dig in Vision – technology partner for XR solutions.
AMS – Austrian Public Employment Service, supporting qualification and workforce development.
University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, focused on applied research and technical training.
AUVA's Prevention division supports Class4Lasers on safety and accident prevention.
ÖGS – Austrian Welding Society, the industry's professional network.
beta campus – innovation and business network in Waidhofen/Ybbs.
Steyr-Werke Makerspace – workshop and technology infrastructure for testing and demos.
Junior Maker Pioneers – a best-practice project by FH Oberösterreich for hybrid, hands-on training.
Dig in Vision — Technology
AMS — Employment & Workforce
FH OÖ — Research & Training
AUVA — Prevention
ÖGS — Welding Technology
beta campus — Network & Location
Steyr-Werke — Practice & Infrastructure
Junior Maker Pioneers — Best Practice
Dig in Vision – technology partner for XR solutions.
AMS – Austrian Public Employment Service, supporting qualification and workforce development.
University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, focused on applied research and technical training.
AUVA's Prevention division supports Class4Lasers on safety and accident prevention.
ÖGS – Austrian Welding Society, the industry's professional network.
beta campus – innovation and business network in Waidhofen/Ybbs.
Steyr-Werke Makerspace – workshop and technology infrastructure for testing and demos.
Junior Maker Pioneers – a best-practice project by FH Oberösterreich for hybrid, hands-on training.
Deployed internationally
The technology is deployed in 17 countries across 4 continents.
Class4Lasers technology is deployed internationally.
Germany
For virtual welding, GSI SLV relies on a Virtual Training Center by Dig in Vision – with a portable VR kit, cloud-based software and digital assessment.
Portable VR hardware, cloud-based training and digital assessment.
Nairobi, Kenya
The ToolKit iSkills and Innovation Hub combines virtual welding training with real workshop practice. Its 80/20 model shows how XR can be an integral part of hybrid vocational training.
Hybrid vocational training with VR and real workshop practice.
1,000+ welders trained.
Broader application
The XR platform behind Class4Lasers can be applied across industries – a selection of further professions and use cases.
The same XR platform can be applied to other training scenarios too.
Customer service and communication training in virtual scenarios.
Custom CAD/industrial environments for tailored training.
Installation and assembly training for PV systems in XR.
Practise non-destructive testing methods virtually.
After the event
What's next?
Experience the technology live and get initial questions answered on site.
An optional, no-obligation demo at your company.
A time-limited pilot for your specific use case, if of interest.
Experience the technology yourself.
Explore it for your own company.
Test a concrete use case in practice.
Press
Report, photos and logo for Class4Lasers are available for free editorial use. Please credit “Foto: class4lasers.at”.
Class4Lasers as PNG, light and dark, plus co-branding with Dig in Vision
„Wo sollen Anfänger ihre ersten 100 Fehler machen?“ Keynote von Dig in Vision zum Auftakt von Class4Lasers.
Foto: class4lasers.at
Live Experience bei Class4Lasers: vorne die virtuelle Schweißausbildung von Dig in Vision mit VR-Brille und Simulator, hinten FH-Prof. Christian Stadlmann (FH Oberösterreich) mit Erfahrungen aus dem Projekt Junior Maker Pioneers.
Foto: class4lasers.at
Keynote im Namen von Dig in Vision: „Die Zukunft der beruflichen Ausbildung am Beispiel des virtuellen Schweißens“, gehalten von Ing. Patrick J. Pammer (Digital Consulting).
Foto: class4lasers.at
Der Widerspruch am Arbeitsmarkt: 756 beim AMS gemeldete offene Stellen im Schweißen, rund 8.200 in der Metalltechnik und 127.917 Arbeitsuchende mit höchstens Pflichtschulabschluss. Thema der Keynote von Ing. Patrick J. Pammer.
Foto: class4lasers.at
Free of charge for editorial reports about Class4Lasers with photo credit. No promotional use by third parties.
Archive photos
Contributors
University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Junior Maker Pioneers project
ÖGS – Austrian Welding Society
AUVA
Dig in Vision (technology partner, keynote and live experience)
AMS Upper Austria (invitation of the training providers)
Initiation and moderation: Ing. Patrick J. Pammer, Digital Consulting, Steyr
University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Junior Maker Pioneers projectÖGS – Austrian Welding SocietyAUVADig in Vision (technology partner, keynote and live experience)AMS Upper Austria (invitation of the training providers)Initiation and moderation: Ing. Patrick J. Pammer, Digital Consulting, Steyr
