Virtual Engineering Applied to the Factory Planning

Process

Burggräf, Peter - Wagner, Johannes - Pérez, Alejandro

Abstract. This paper describes how the concept of virtual engineering can be
applied to the factory planning process. Our journey starts with the definition of
what virtual engineering is, its pillars and what benefits this concept brings with
respect to the traditional concepts of design used today. It is followed by our
definition of what is considered a working environment and the boundaries of the
physical-virtual world, and it ends with the applications of virtual and augmented
reality technologies in the factory-layout planning process.

Keywords: Design, factory-layout, factory-planning, virtual engineering,

working-environment.

Research in Progress
June 3, 2019, Siegen, Germany
1 Introduction

Technology is advancing to a whole new era as well as the general design process does.
In the past years, we have passed to representing models from the drawing boards to
fully automated CAD software which allows us to perform diverse test, analysis and
optimizations.
In the context of factory planning, the usage of new technologies as augmented
reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) are not new concepts. At the beginning of the
2000’s, Gausemer [1] and Kiel [2] state that AR can bring significant added value. Due
to the fact that the user can experience the models in a 3D visualization, this could
increase the planning speed and quality as well as the reduction of planning cost. -
Before starting with the applications of AR or VR, we will first define some concepts
that apply while using these technologies.

2 Virtual Engineering

In order to keep an eye on the future and to improve the used process of design,
planning, and development, it is needed to change how those processes are performed.
The concept of virtual engineering (VE) presents a new point of view. Horváth states
that the concept of virtual engineering combines the traditional methods with new
technologies, creating in this way a new paradigm of how the cognitive model of
creative works is defined [3].
According to Wörn [4], the concept of virtual engineering is based on three main
pillars: digital mock-up, CAD-systems, and simulation. The first concept is considered
as the main pillar of VE and it allows the user to have a clear view of the real concept,
i.e., factories, products; as to analyze, study and discuss them without having the
physical model in place. This concept applied in the factory planning process allows
the planners and designers to perform tests, evaluations, and optimizations in the virtual
world without the need and/or risk of actually moving the objects. This allows the
factory planning process to be more flexible and the results produced in the shortest
amount of time as to exploit markets opportunities quickly.

3 Digital Factory – Layout design

Wörn [4] defines the digital factory (DF) as a computer-generated representation of a

real factory, including robots, machines, specific areas, and humans. This concept
allows us to work freely on the green-field layout of a plant by using virtual reality
technology and later to compare and modify this layout with the physical world by
using augmented reality technology. This approach of combining virtual and
augmented reality as an application is defined by Microsoft as ‘mixed reality’ [5] and
it is a valuable concept for the design process of the future.
3.1 Augmented Reality vs Virtual Reality
The concept of mixed reality presents the alternative of combining the virtual world
with the physical world. This concept could be convenient as to be applied to the factory
planning process, however, this concept is not fully clear and developed [5]. Two
technologies are currently being used by the industry for different purposes: training,
visualization, entertainment, and others, these are AR and VR.
On the one hand, VR experience allows the designer to be totally immersed in the
layout. There are no physical boundaries and the limits are just defined by the program
itself. On the other hand, AR experiences allow the designer to interact with the real
environment and place the objects, also called ‘holograms’, based on and within the
physical world limitations. Both approaches are equally valid in the layout design
process, however, the impact of each of them is characterized by the phase of design
they are being implemented. In this paper, we will refer to the AR/VR model
visualization as AR/VR experiences.

3.2 Factory Planning: Layout process

The process of layout planning is quite methodical. In this paper, we will start from the
point after all the study of material and process flows was done and the designer has
already an idea of the placement of the machines on the space. We are going to focus
on the object placement and the advantages of this technology applied to the greenfield
and/or brownfield scenarios.
Masterplan
The first step of this process is to define the boundaries of the working area, i.e., the
walls that will enclose our working space. For this purpose, we will use MS Visio as
our design software because of its full compatibility add-in with the software Import
Tools for Microsoft Layout (ITML), later used to create the VR/AR experiences.

Figure 1. Layout made with MS Visio 2016: Rectangular hall.

Figure 2. Import Tool for Microsoft Layout environment

CAD – Layout
The second step is to define the models/objects that will be included in the
experience, independently of the technology used (AR/VR). To integrate our standard
CAD models to our AR/VR technology, we will use the ITML software provided by
Microsoft. This software will be the medium between our AR/VR experiences and our
computer models. With it, we are able to upload objects, and import and export layouts
or experiences from our AR/VR devices.
Placing objects
The third step is to place the objects in the respective environment. For our study
case, we will create our experiences using the software Microsoft Layout, compatible
with AR and VR technology. As explained before in section 3.1, the VR experience
does not restrict us with physical boundaries, thus it is perfect for the green-field layout.
This tool allows us to be as demanding as we need without worrying about the physical
space where to allocate the objects. An example of the view given by a VR experience
can be found on the left side of Figure 3.
AR experiences present other equally important characteristics while applied on the
factory planning design process. By using this technology, the designer is able to ‘see
through’ the virtual world and place it in the physical world, which makes it the
valuable tool used in brown-field scenarios. For the implementation of the AR
experiences, we use HoloLens as our medium between the virtual and the physical
world. On the right side of Figure 3, we can see an example of an AR experience.
AR experiences provide the user with a new concept of reality. The designer is able
to place the holograms in the place they consider and bearing in mind possible obstacles
that might exist in the physical world, i.e., machines too close to others or to walls, not
enough space to place the object, narrow areas that might violate certain regulations,
etc.

Figure 3. Layout design: Left: Virtual reality; Right: Augmented reality

4 Conclusions and Outlook

The previously described technology offers a valuable tool for visualizing objects
on the physical environment. Therefore, the process of designing could be speeded up
and therefore, more efficient. However, there are some risks when using AR/VR
insufficiently. One source of dangers is that VR/AR technologies applied to factory
design are still in their early stages of development. Therefore, it is needed to establish
standards to follow in order to further develop these technologies. Future research
projects could focus on these aspects and in this way, implement VR/AR technologies
as a fundamental part of the factory design process.
References

[1] J. Gausemer, P. Ebbesmeyer and M. Grafe, "Nutzenpotenziale von Virtual Reality in

der Fabrik- und Anlagenplanung," wt Wekrstatttechnick online, vol. 90, pp. 282-
286, 2000.
[2] B. Kiel, "Wissensmanagement bei der Realisierung der Digitalen Fabrik," in Tenth
Conference Proceeding of the Internationa Production-Related Colloquium (PTK),
Berlin, 2001.
[3] I. Horvath, B. Gerritsen and Z. Rusák, "A New Look at Virtual Engineering,"
Gépészet, 2010.
[4] H. Wörn, D. Frey and J. Keitel, "Digital Factory - Planning and running enterprises
of the future," in 2000 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Electronics,
Control and Instrumentation., Nagoya, Japan, 2000.
[5] B. Bray and M. Zeller, "What is mixed reality," Microsoft, 21 3 2018. [Online].
Available: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/mixed-reality.
[Accessed 13 Sep 2018].