TechViz - Blog - AR / VR for engineering

In 2020, there are 3 main trends you should follow in construction industry:

• Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• Virtual reality (VR)
• Internet of Things (IoT)

These technologies drive the digital transformation of the construction sector. BIM and VR are most important because they offer the chance to experience the project while still in the design phase. They are already bringing about a fundamental change in the way construction industry plans, designs, develop and manage a construction project. They enable all the people collaborating with the project to have the same level of information, while making the process more reliable, productive and cost-effective.

With the recent democratization and availability of VR technology, many companies are racing to adapt Virtual reality (VR) to the workplace. If it may be too late for business to develop a new set of policies for remote work, they can still make the experience productive and engaging for their employees. Especially by giving them the right equipment to keep collaborating competently on their projects.

Companies are relying on virtual reality (VR) more and more for business use. However, finding your way through the market offering of Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs), which is the fancy word for headsets. Picking the wrong system could end up limiting your ability to use VR Technology effectively. Here are some terms and concepts that might need some clearing up to choose the best VR headset for your company.

A point cloud is a set of points in space, generally produced by laser scanning (LiDAR) or photogrammetry. Depending on their density, these points help you visualize the external surfaces of objects or environments. Therefore, they are often used in the construction industry, along with BIM models.

But such sets of data can do a lot more for your industry. 3D scanning technology enables you to capture a digital copy of an object, when creating a CAD model from scratch can be long, costly and complex. Let’s see why point clouds in virtual reality can be a great asset for your industry and how to use it efficiently.

It has become quite common for industries to rely on 3D models to design their products. Things get more complicated when it comes to process-design. VR takes manufacturing a step further, making it possible to visualize or simulate assembly process, maintenance scenario or quality control. Virtual reality offers many benefits for manufacturing.

Let’s see how VR can be a game-changer for manufacturing plants, through 4 real-life situations in which Virtual Reality has helped engineers optimize the design of an assembly line

Virtual reality expert organizations noticed that one of the main reasons why firms were not yet ready to invest in VR technologies was the absence of real ROI (return on investment) of VR statistics. Still some companies have taken the plunge and now have the benefit of hindsight to tell how much has virtual reality impacted their gains.

“Digital twin” is very trendy expression, but what it covers is sometimes unclear. This popular innovation receives lots of interest from the industry and promises to boost productivity at al levels of the value chain. Why? Because it pushes back the boundaries of the virtual prototypes, allowing engineers to apprehend the product or system inside their environment. This goal can only be achieved through a VR software, in order to visualize the product in the in-service stage, and supplement the 3D model with simulation data.

Developing and manufacturing a product is a long and costly process, which often requires the continuous participation of several departments, or even different suppliers. Through all the development stages, from getting the idea to selling your product, there is a need for consistent information and communication while designing, engineering, marketing and manufacturing your products. This is where 3D visualization comes in, from Solidworks models to Techviz VR system.

A recent report from Futuresource Consulting announced that the future of VR is bright, with massive investment in the upcoming years. Investments in the shipbuilding industry are not to be outdone, with a predicted $30 billion investment in its digital transformation in the next 30 years. Of course, Virtual Reality is already playing a great part in the digitization of the shipbuilding industry, transforming radically engineering heavy processes into way lighter, friendlier and more profitable ones. Let’s take a look at the ROI of VR and see how VR is changing the game in the processes of the shipbuilding industry.

Interaction between the physical and the digital world is an important technology for industries. With a better human-machine interaction, industries work faster, make better-quality products and waste a lot less resources. Tracking human movements has many industrial use case. The 3D human body it creates, you can then use a VR software solution.

Discover our interview of Jason Konrath, Xsens Product Manager, talking about the powerful combination of Xsens and TechViz.