The digital transformation in the manufacturing industry continues to gather pace, and the focus is on increasing efficiency and reducing costs. A critical factor in this context is the installation and commissioning of assets, for which the rampant shortage of skilled workers also has significant consequences.
At Framence, we can deliver measurable added value with our photorealistic digital twins, even in this highly specialized area. We would like to offer two examples to show you exactly how and where our software can support you.
Using FRAMENCE and AI to check asset installation for deviations
The programming of assets is often completed in advance using their respective 3D models. In this way, commissioning on site on the customer’s premises can take place more quickly. However, the assembled asset often deviates slightly from the 3D model used for programming. This can impact its performance.
And this is exactly where we come in with FRAMENCE. We combine our digital twins with AI and have them check the asset installation. To do this, employees who are already on-site document the assembled asset with photos – primarily via smartphone to speed up the process. These images serve as the basis for the digital twin of the asset.
The original CAD or STEP model of the asset is then imported into FRAMENCE’s browser-based platform and superimposed on the digital twin. Our AI compares the 3D model with the installation position of the asset in the photorealistic twin. The AI is able to precisely identify possible deviations. The programmer can conveniently access this information remotely in order to adjust the preconfigured asset programming directly if necessary.
What are the benefits?
Asset programmers no longer have to travel on site to check and adapt the asset programming. This saves time and money, both for asset manufacturers and their customers. Conversely, less travel also means a noticeably reduced CO2 footprint, as air travel and car journeys are minimized. This allows companies to achieve their sustainability goals much faster.
Furthermore, FRAMENCE allows a single programmer to adapt and commission several asset programs remotely at the same time. This means that significantly more assets can go live without the company having to hire more specialist staff.
FRAMENCE as a virtual operating manual for asset installation
The installation of the assets themselves often poses a challenge for the customer, particularly in view of the increasing complexity of modern assets. This is because installation and commissioning take time and cause additional work, not only for the customer but also for the asset manufacturer.
In order to avoid these additional costs and efforts in the future, the FRAMENCE software platform acts as a virtual instruction manual for the assembly of often complex assets. Most assets are assembled in the factory by the manufacturer. As such, the range of functions of the respective asset can be checked in advance. The asset programming can also be carried out. During this, the asset manufacturer takes pictures of the important construction steps and the installed asset and uploads these photos to the FRAMENCE platform. There, the photorealistic digital plant twin mentioned at the beginning is created almost automatically.
Once the asset has been delivered to the customer, this comprehensive, realistic image documentation of the construction in FRAMENCE is used as an extremely useful virtual guide to optimize the asset construction and to avoid problems in good time. The existing CAD or STEP models of the system are of course not suitable for this, as they offer neither the necessary depth of detail nor the fidelity to reality that digital camera photos guarantee.
What are the specific benefits?
Installation can also be completed more quickly on the customer’s site thanks to the realistic asset representation in FRAMENCE. This allows fitters and technicians to view all relevant details of the asset in advance. This not only simplifies the installation process, but also reduces errors and misunderstandings that can occur during assembly. Furthermore, the realistic mapping enables more efficient planning of the individual assembly steps. In this way, potential problems or collisions can be identified and rectified in advance.
In addition, fitters can access the digital image of the system at any time during assembly. Employees can use the FRAMENCE platform to search for specific solutions in the image of the asset. They can even discuss them with the asset manufacturer’s experts without them having to be on site. This not only saves time, but also enables the asset to be commissioned more quickly.
Would you like to commission your assets faster and more efficiently, save time and money and reduce your company’s carbon footprint at the same time? Then contact us today and we will take a look at your individual use case – no strings attached!
