While the BIM method has been applied widely in the design phase of construction, too often the digital chain is broken when it comes to the building
Either on-site or in the assembly prefabrication, our houses and their structural parts get built with methods used in the last centuries. With the introduction of the BuildIT Projector software and the TracerSI FARO is now on its way to changing the construction industry, bringing design transfer for assembling into the digital age by expanding a metrology technology into the construction world.
While the robotic layout is a great help for standard production, it still lacks an efficient assembly of unique elements, which is often the base to deliver individual architectural design. The laser line template layout technology from FARO fits this open spot perfectly.
BuildIT Projector is capable to read multiple construction design file formats such as BIM-data from Autodesk® Revit® or IFC-files, or even 3D-CAD information. With this software, workshop managers have a unique tool by hand, guiding them on template layout optimization. It has never been that easy to specify and group required information for the tradesmen at the workbench. It is just one click to prepare the data for the TracerSI to project.
The TracerSI can finally access data virtually from the company’s network and project 3D laser images onto a physical surface like the workbench. This provides a live virtual template that easily assembles the deliverables without the need for construction drawings being reviewed.
When visiting a structural steel workshop today, we can still often hear welders complaining about incomplete fabrication drawings. A missed angle dimension or hole distance delays the assembling. They then start measuring in the drawing (or in modern facilities on the flat screen), hoping the result is accurate enough to pass the quality control. This ultimately increases costs and reduces throughput and motivation. It is a workflow prone to errors and if the expected quality is not met, the costs increase even further.
Within FARO’s ecosystem, the shop floor manager prepared the projection data in advance and now the welder can simply control the laser line projection via remote control. As he can see the eye-safe green laser line on his workbench, there is no need to measure manually the angles and distances any longer. The TracerSI is laying out a virtual template where they can simply place the parts according to the projected contour.
Based on shop floor managers configuration the Laser Projection shows Sequence, Location, and Alignment of an Assembly Process in Construction Prefabrication. It reduces/eliminates tools, tape measures, and templates and increases shorter set up time leading ultimately to greater throughput, higher accuracy and higher customer satisfaction.
The TracerSI represents a first-of-its-kind. It’s an advanced laser imager and high-accuracy projection system, with superior scanning capabilities throughout its entire projection volume. The combination of high-contrast imaging, accurate and repeatable projection and powerful yet easy-to-use BuildIT Projector software establishes a new industry standard for repeatable laser-guided assembly.
With the large field of view (60° x 60°) the TracerSI can cover a workbench area of 4m by 4m, hanging on a slab 4m above the workbench. Because BuildIT Projector software is capable to drive up to 15 TracerSI units simultaneously, a workshop can finally cover any kind of workbench size. Also, the ultimate range of the TracerSI with more than 15 meters can extend the field of view up to 15m. This should be more than enough space to cover most steel shop workbenches.
However, this is still not the end. Once the assembly is created, the TracerSI in combination with BuildIT Projector also enables an efficient quality control process, bringing the information back into the digital chain. With the In-Process Verification, a FARO-exclusive capability, users can run high-resolution image scans to validate accurate positioning, identify the absence/presence of single parts, and automatically detect incorrect positioned elements by Foreign Object Debris (FOD) checks.
With this, the welder receives instant feedback about their work and can react faster than ever before. Once the work gets the green light in BuildIT projector, the result can be tracked digitally, a report can be created and added to the assembly documentation, identifying that the deliverable is matching the fabrication design and the accuracy requirements specified by quality management. By storing these reports in the construction management software, the project manager can ultimately track the quality of each building part.
The structural steel workshop has just been one example. The openness of the solution also enables the usage of the same workflows in other construction industries such as Modular Preconstruction, Precast or Timber production. All of these industries can speed up their working process, reducing project costs by avoiding drawing review and physical template creation, minimizing overall material costs leading to higher quality outputs through the use of FARO’s BuildIT software and TracerSI laser projection system. The only thing needed is 3D data and some space on the slab for the TracerSI.
What do you think about enhancing your workshop processes? Are you keen to learn more about FARO’s unique offering with BuildIT Projector and TracerSI?
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