Our recent on-demand webinar, led by Account Manager Gregg Hunt, "Applying Augmented, Mixed, and Virtual Reality Technology to Design and Manufacturing Processes," delves into preparing and optimizing data for Extended Reality (XR) and the significance of these steps. It also covers how to get started with XR to ensure a seamless adoption process. Gregg further shares an in-depth case study from Valiant TMS, exploring their experiences with adopting XR, their subsequent advancements with the technology, and their return on investment.
Let’s explore what Extended Reality is, how it can benefit engineering and manufacturing processes, and how companies can get started with the technology.
XR is an umbrella term that encompasses Augmented, Mixed, and Virtual Reality. The following definitions are how we, Theorem, describe these technologies.
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Augmented Reality: Users can overlay digital 3D data onto the real world using handheld devices, such as phones and tablets.
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Mixed Reality: Users can see digital data projected into their real-world environment using a headset
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Virtual Reality: Offers a different experience, enabling users to view 3D data in a fully immersive, digital environment.
Each of these technologies offers unique advantages, allowing end users to choose the one that best fits their specific use case.
How to Get Started in XR
One useful tip that Gregg shared in the webinar was the importance of “quick wins” when first adopting Extended Reality. This means that it’s useful for a company to focus on a single use case that is simple to implement, and one that has clear benefits from the beginning. It can also be helpful to choose a use case that can solve the issue very quickly, when the benefit of XR is not immediately visible or apparent, you risk losing support or funding from the wider business.
Once you have an initial XR use case that is functioning well and providing a clear return on investment, more complicated use cases can be explored. However, it is still important to identify target use cases before continuing forward. Trying to do too much without a clear plan could result in nothing being implemented effectively. Therefore, focusing on specific areas is vital throughout the whole adoption process.
Finally, it is unlikely that XR will be able to solve every problem within a single use case, and you will likely need to be flexible in order to get the most out of the technology. Since there are many factors that influence how XR is used, from the devices to the XR experiences, understanding that there may need to be changes to the initial plan is a key factor in adopting XR. For example, you may initially be pursuing a plan that utilizes Virtual Reality but later realize that Augmented Reality is better suited. Recognizing this and being flexible with your response will allow you to utilize the technology more effectively.
Preparing and Optimizing Design Data
The first step of any process that utilizes Extended Reality is the preparation and optimization of your data. Without this, you could experience poor performance when working with your 3D models in XR. As a result, when exploring XR adoption, it’s important to consider your approach when preparing your design data.
There are many methods that can be used in combination to optimize your data. This means that it can be very useful to have an automated process, like the Theorem Visualization Pipeline, that makes applying these optimization methods simple. How data needs to be optimized will depend on the devices you are using, the use case, and the data itself, so it’s important to be flexible and able to adjust optimization methods based on your needs.
Here are some examples of optimization methods, and what they can be used for.
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Shrink wrapping. With this method, anything not visible from the outside of the model is removed. This can be very effective when the shape of a model is all that is required, such as for factory layout planning; however, it won’t be practical if you are reviewing the internal components.
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Part culling. Here, any small components, such as bolts or screws, are removed; this provides a lightweight model without removing important parts – but if you require a highly detailed model, it may not be suitable.
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Tessellation. In this optimization method, reducing the file size by reducing the number of polygons used to make up the model. The more tessellated a model is, the more lightweight it becomes, but this is at the expense of accuracy, so it is important to strike a balance.
These optimization examples show that there are many methods available, however they may not all work for your needs. This is why it is important to explore and understand optimization options early on when adopting Extended Reality, to ensure that you’re not caught out by poor performance or inadequate 3D models later in the process.
Valiant TMS
Image shows 2D Drawing > Physical Customer Site > TheoremXR > Digital Data in Real-World Environment
Valiant TMS provide intelligent automation solutions, aiding in creating production lines and integrating them into customer’s facilities. One issue Valiant TMS encountered frequently was that their field engineers would often be attending sites with 2D drawings that were confusing and difficult to interpret. They identified this use case as a quick win, finding that they could significantly improve efficiency by using XR to visualize designs at scale and in the context of their customer’s production environment.
After the success of this initial use case, Valiant TMS began using XR for a range of other use cases. Among these is the ability to visualize full layouts to aid in designing a factory or integrating new machinery. As well as this, Valiant TMS found XR very useful for maintenance accessibility reviews, helping them evaluate cleaning procedures, assess safety aspects, and perform other checks. They also started using XR to conduct collaborative design reviews, gathering multiple engineers to assess designs at full scale and discuss changes, while cutting down on travel time and costs.
Watch this webinar snippet to learn more about Valiant TMS' use cases
This is an excellent example of how Extended Reality can be adopted throughout a business. Valiant TMS began with a single, well-defined use case, and introduced XR to other areas once that initial use case was already in place and providing clear benefits. Now, Valiant TMS sees a clear return on investment from XR, with the company stating, “tasks that took days now take hours.”
Final Thoughts
Extended Reality has a wide range of use cases and benefits for your design and manufacturing processes. Though the technology might seem complex initially, there are strategies to make the adoption process easier and more straightforward.
Understanding the importance of data preparation and optimization is a vital first step, as data must be prepared for use in XR and there a many types of optimization methods. Alongside this, focusing on a single use case that has clear benefits is an important first step that will allow your XR strategy to expand with more use cases further down the line.
If you’re looking to learn more about XR adoption in more detail, be sure to watch our on-demand webinar from Gregg Hunt or request a TheoremXR demonstration today.
