Engineering-Grade AR for AEC

Augmented Reality (AR) has quickly become a more robust field because of its many valuable applications in almost all industries, including the architecture, engineering, and construction industry (AEC). Augmented Reality makes menial tasks a lot more efficient and can significantly reduce human errors.

AR has been a significant advancement in the AEC field and has been much needed over the past decade. Augmented Reality solutions combined with onsite 3D laser scanning and reality capture of your project can provide a complete understanding and validation at any stage within the project's lifecycle by accurately positioning holograms of the 3D design models onsite in real-time.

ScanTek also provides high-precision 3D measurements for engineering-grade augmented Reality. Let us spend some time exploring a few of the many diverse applications of engineering-grade AR for AEC.

Engineering-grade AR in AEC Industry

AR is just another step toward combining the real world with the virtual and is quickly gaining popularity within the AEC industry.

1. AR in Construction

AR is quickly becoming vital in construction because it helps visualize and plan more efficiently by taking a more proactive approach to building. Making decisions, validating, and planning, all in real-time.

Everything from design to coordinating exact measurements and building components. AR solutions can significantly reduce the chance of errors and cause for project delays.

Following are some of the potential use cases of AR in the construction industry:

Planning

Gone are the days when designers and construction experts must spend time on outdated 2D drawings and models. Today, you can analyze the active progress of a construction project and make real-time changes to a 3D/AR model to assess whether those changes are exactly what you need!

The project's owner can also walk through the entire building virtually to weigh in on opportunities for improvement. 3D models that use AR technology help simplify planning a project while making necessary adjustments without being physically onsite.

In short, AR can not only spot different mistakes in your construction project but also test out how to fix them before it is too late.

Project Information

Augmented Reality can provide quick visual access to the complete project and building information through the 3D model. You won't have to complete the physical construction of the building to see its finished state because AR can show you exactly how it will look.

You can add structural concrete/steel substructures, windows, doors, pipes, and everything else that will be present in your building to create a close-to-life experience of seeing the project.

This project information is particularly useful for the onsite validation of the structural and underground building components. Any error outside building tolerances would require additional engineering review and often involves costly and timely rework.

Remote Work and Remote Working

In the construction industry, multiple people collaborate on the same project but are always not all present. This often delays different tasks and the fixing of essential issues until the appropriate contractors and project stakeholders are onsite.

With our AR solutions, the design team can turn their construction model into an augmented reality model and share it with their contractors, who can easily make the changes required without necessarily needing to be present. This innovative technology enables projects at remote locations to be much simpler to manage, especially for people who do not want to travel constantly.

2. AR in Engineering

Engineering is yet another industry in which AR has become an invaluable tool for uncountable uses and applications.

Let us consider three major ones to provide a clearer idea:

Training of Engineers

AR has already saved more time and resources in training new engineers than is quantifiable. Today's engineers can be trained on their smartphones, which can generate 3D models of vehicles, phones, and more.

It is no longer necessary to disassemble every part of an actual, physical machine to understand how it works.

Educators can assemble the parts, disassemble them, and guide their students as they plan where different parts of the machinery need to go. This interactive training is supplemented by more conventional materials, like diagrams and wiring instructions, that can be integrated into the AR environment. In short, AR technology helps trainees develop their skills and expertise in a risk-free, low-cost environment.

Computer-Aided Design (CAD)

AR has also become an integral component of much CAD work. Designers can see how exactly their designs will look in the real world. They can easily compare the options for the finished object and make more accurate assessments. Designers can also circulate and distribute their projects more effectively and in more places to attract potential investors and buyers.

This application of AR also improves quality control. The manufacturing process becomes more efficient when designers have a complete 3D roadmap of what they want to make.

Gaming and Social App Engineering & Development

Augmented Reality has the potential to dominate the gaming industry and social media interfaces over the next decades. Technology that helps integrate the real world into the virtual world is exciting and entertaining.

On social media, AR photo filters are perhaps the best example of the versatile applications of AR. These filters do not change your location but integrate a 3D figure, like dinosaurs or animals, into your surroundings. AR is already revolutionizing the gaming and social media industries.

3. AR in Architecture

AR is already a foundational technology in architecture because of the efficiency it contributes to planning by integrating the real world into the virtual world. AR is ideal for designing, maintaining, and funding advanced and complex architectural projects.

Underground Design

You would need many blueprints to plan the design and construction for underground site work, and without accurate dimensions and a complete plan, you cannot start the work.

AR offers a unique solution for groundworks by providing real-time measurements and visualizations of the underground site work/3D design models on your smartphone or AR headset for real-time onsite validation.

Maintenance

A good architecture project is not only about construction but also about maintenance. It would help if you kept a close eye on the condition of the building, and AR can help with the critical inspection that flags what needs to be done for maintenance staff.

Staff can quickly assess how the building is holding up by comparing the existing pipes and other infrastructure conditions with the original plans. The sooner maintenance staff identify the problem, the less it costs to resolve. In short, AR can save an organization and facilities a lot of money and inspection hassles.

Landing Clients and Investors

If your clients do not know much about architecture, blueprints are unlikely to impress them. Even a physical 3D model often fails at accurately representing a project because it can require a lot of imagination to scale up and usually does not accurately represent the specific materials and aesthetic choices.

AR helps you create designs for projects that can be shared and visualized by both clients and investors.

AR for AEC Applications at ScanTek

ScanTek is the only solution for all your AR-related projects. Our company has a team of experienced professionals and technicians who offer onsite laser scanning and reality capture solutions.

Services Offered by ScanTek in the AEC Industry

ScanTek offers a full range of services for the engineering, architecture, and construction industries:

Onsite Laser Scanning

Onsite laser scanning will help you figure out the measurements of the whole project without the time and labor of manually measuring the space.

Furthermore, when an employee is dispatched to survey and take measurements of a job site, there are many potential risks to their safety. 3D scanning with ScanTek reduces labor costs and workplace accidents.

Video Walkthroughs & Remote Inspections

ScanTek services also include video walkthroughs of the entire site that depict how the site, or the object looks from the inside and are accessible off-site. Video walkthroughs are excellent tools for iterative design because they can be marked and used to flag and make changes.

These video walkthroughs are especially helpful in the construction industry, where contractors must see projects' progress daily to forecast future resource needs.

Accurate Scan to BIM

ScanTek scanning is very accurate and can transform the scan data into a building information model. These models include everything—from pipes to walls—so you can understand, plan and analyze your project better.

ScanTek laser scans also reduce the margin of error. Accurate measurements and a complete project model are essential for the success of projects in architecture, engineering, and construction.

Post-Capture Analysis

ScanTek offers not only AR-scanning services but also the flexibility to make changes to the rendered model and include or exclude whatever you deem appropriate. This tailored approach helps workers develop a clear understanding of what a project is supposed to look like from their perspective.

Not many AR-scanning companies offer Post-Capture Analysis. Most limit their services to scanning. Only ScanTek allows you to enjoy and participate in the advancement of AR technology while making your project more efficient and easily accessible.

Advantages of Augmented Reality in AEC

There is a long list of advantages that augmented Reality can provide in the AEC industries. Although the specific advantages differ slightly across use cases, there are three main, universal benefits:

● Increases Productivity

AR modeling saves field workers the burden of reviewing piles of 2D plans and documents for validation and helps them track their progress in real-time. Indeed, many workers are more motivated when they can visualize their progress more effectively.

AR models also improve the efficiency of engineers and designers, who can review for possible errors before a task is executed. A comprehensive roadmap of how things are supposed to be built also boosts morale and engagement.

● Reduces Costs

AR technology is very cost-effective because it provides a complete model of how the final site or machinery will turn out that can be assessed before investing a lot of money into the manufacturing process.

AR also reduces labor costs by completing most measurement and inspection tasks by itself. With AR, you can analyze a model entirely before beginning the manufacturing process and model its placement in the physical world.

● Improves Safety

AR models are safe because your workers no longer need to regularly go underground or to the top of the construction site to map out progress. In short, this technology prevents workplace injuries by limiting the time spent in hazardous locations, especially if a model has revealed a defect.

Conclusion

AR is perhaps the most significant breakthrough in the AEC industry of the past decades. The technology is innovative, engaging, and easy to understand. It impresses clients and investors, reduces costs, and improves overall project safety.

AR modeling and 3D scanning is the best option if you need an accurate 3D model for an AEC project. ScanTek provides expert, premium, no-fuss 3D-scanning services.

For more information or a quote for your site or project, visit the ScanTek website or message us in our App! – Available at the App Store and Google Play!