A global EPC company, providing architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) services for mining, energy, and infrastructure industries, wanted to enhance its design review process.
Designers are challenged during project reviews since viewing BIM data on small form factors such as PC monitors and mobile devices increases the possibility of errors. The EPC company partnered with Infosys for a customized application that streams BIM data from a backend database onto a virtual reality (VR) device for immersive viewing in 1:1 scale.
Key Challenges
Varying data sizes
Projects in the iModelHub varied in size, with iModels ranging from 70MB / 220K triangles to 5.8GB / 150 million triangles.
Iterative design
Designers need to upload design changes to the iModelHub with every iteration. The proposed application needs to capture changes at the backend, pull this content, and stream it to the VR application at run time.
Ready to experience?
TALK TO EXPERTS
The Solution
iModel.js open source framework reduces design review time
Infosys selected iModel.js, an open source framework developed by Bentley, which enables access to projects on an iModelHub using a Javascript framework.
Infosys developed a custom application for the frontend using Unity 3D, a game engine. The server serves content using a Google Protocol Buffer over a WebSocket, ensuring continuous communication between the server and the Unity application.Our solution uses iModelHub, a backend database to store project designs such as BIM designs in generic iModel format. The backend of our application uses the iModel.js framework to create a server, streaming BIM data to the HTC VIVE VR device.
Infosys developed a custom application for the frontend using Unity 3D, a game engine. The server serves content using a Google Protocol Buffer over a WebSocket, ensuring continuous communication between the server and the Unity application.
Users can view BIM properties for each element in the project at run time. It enables designers to collaborate and take prompt decisions during design review, thereby significantly reducing design review time.
Application allows immersive project design reviews in 1:1 scale
Our solution enables designers to:
- see and select a project and its 3D model
- walk through and teleport oneself to different locations on the 3D model
- look at different elements of the design, for better understanding and informed decision making
Benefits
VR devices enabled immersive design reviews
Facilitated collaboration in VR design reviews among internal reviewers or customers across remote locations
