Get a Digital Twin of your facility through 3D Scanning`
Do you want to create a digital twin?
Are you interested in creating a digital twin 3D model of your plant? This is a very exciting option that is made possible using 3D scanning. We can create a virtual 3D model that is highly realistic and enable you to view it using an Oculus or HTS virtual reality headset. You can explore the virtual world and see the site from any angle or perspective. Through the use of the Unreal Engine, we utilize the ultimate in superior graphics made possible by the gaming industry to add incredible realism to your virtual environment. When viewed using a stereo 3D headset, it really feels like you are there.
Why create a digital twin from 3d laser scanning?
The advantage of using 3D laser scanning to create the digital twin model is that the resulting model will be dimensionally accurate. For that reason it can also be utilized for engineering purposes or other uses requiring accuracy. If you are interested in having a “digital twin” of your facility, you want the digital twin to have a similar appearance as the real world. The scan-to-model process results in a CAD model that is within mere millimeters in its physical proportions to the real thing. The scanner also captures HDR color imagery. These images are used as a reference for simulating colors and textures in the virtual world. In order to create the illusion of being there, the temporary suspension of disbelief, the 3D scene must be realistic, complete and compelling. We can do this for your plant and take it as far as you want when it comes to realism.
What can a digital twin environment be used for?
A Virtual Reality environment is a great example of a 3D laser scan being used for multiple purposes within a company. The scan may have been initiated for engineering purposes, since excellent engineering requires thorough documentation and dimensional accuracy. But the resulting 3D CAD model from engineering efforts can be “low hanging fruit” for other applications to take advantage of. For example:
Security: The security team will be thrilled to have a realistic model of the plant that they can use to depict camera locations, camera angles, gates, badge reader locations, etc.
Safety: The safety group may like to visualize all of the fire extinguishers, eye-wash stations, muster points, emergency shutdown buttons, etc.
Training: Many groups may see an opportunity for using VR to do training. Humans learn from their mistakes, and VR gives someone an opportunity to fail or make mistakes in a safe space.
What is a digital twin?
A digital twin is a special kind of digital model. There are many different ideas of what the term “digital twin” means, but here wer are referring to the type that involve a 3D representation of some a building or larger facility of some kind. Iit is generally agreed that a digital twin must has the following characteristics:
- A digital representation of the facility that is navigable in some way
- An information layer
- Internet-based updates
- Optionally, information updates from live data
The digital representation can be created from a CAD model. The CAD model can be previously created (aka “canned”) or dynamically generated from database information using web-based graphics languages. Dynamic model generation can be composed of geometric primitives or consist of an assembly of predefined models.
The digital twin 3D model can also be created from point clouds, meshes and panoramic images. A point cloud consists of millions of colorized points that represent an accurate depiction of the site. Point clouds can vary in quality and detail. A mesh is a colorized triangulated surface that can be generated from a point cloud or from photogrammetry based on panoramic images. An additional option for creating a digital is through the use of powerful rendering engines such as Unreal or Unity to create realistic, immersive digital worlds. First-person navigation and the use of VR headset is often utilized for enhanced effect.
Information layer can consist of a map view. It can also include various “geotags” such as names, IDs, labels and other bits of meta data. There can also be photos and/or documents. Internet-based updates. A characteristic of a digital twin usually involves linking to information in databases that are stored elsewhere over the internet. This can be information of any sort including financial, technical details, maintenance logs or any kind of historical information that has been collected related to a particular object in the digital twin. Streaming of live data into a web-accessible 3D model is the highest form of digital twin. Data sources from measurement devices or databases that provide continuous live updates to the digital twin are integrated using web services.
How are 3d digital twins captured?
Capture devices can include tripod-based 3d laser scanners such as a Leica RTC360, mobile slam-based scanners such as the NavVis VLX or the Leica BLK2GO, or panoramic camera systems such as the Matterport or the insta360.
what is the size of a digital twin?
Digital Twins can vary greatly with the size of the volume of space for the “site” that they cover. There can be a digital twin of a single machine which is only a few meters long. A typical digital twin would be a building or a plant/factory. A digital twin can span an entire city. Commonly, a collection of digital twin sites is represented on a map, so that there maybe dozens or hundreds of sites across the country.