Using 3D Vision to Enhance Manufacturing Performance

3D data can deliver a window into factory operations while also teaching operators how to service equipment.

Rob Spiegel

July 11, 2022

3 Min Read
Feature.jpg
Image courtesy of Alamy

As 3D vision systems become more accessible, they’re making their way out of the engineering department and onto the factory floor. Manufacturers can access 3D vision via the cloud and pull data down to the plant floor as needed. Since the data is in the cloud it can be accessed by the plant operating system as well as portable devices.

A 3D vision platform can give operators a literal picture of factory operations. “Data from 3D vision systems can be used to reduce supply chain bottlenecks, accelerate time-to-market, and provide easy access to viewable 3D information that can enhance productivity and reduce expenses,” Dan Murray, founder and CEO of Vertex Software, told Design News.

The 3D vision data can be used to display factory performance. The visual picture can help operators quickly grasp the state of the factory. “The 3D vision helps manufacturers immediately access and understand smart factory operations. Our customers connect data from multiple sources to create a factory digital twin, which can improve efficiencies on the shop floor,” said Murray. “You can build tight feedback loops, and connects data from the entire supply chain.”

Factory IoT.jpg

Here’s an example of a 3D vision representative of an IoT-enabled 3D factory operational twin.

Running the Plant with 3D Vision

In recent years, virtual reality and augmented reality systems have been used to show plant operators when needs to be done on the plant floor. “Visual solutions – and 3D in particular – can help manufacturing operators make sense of IoT data, and it can help them assemble products,” said Murray. “We use 3D data to provide context. Take a factory floor robot. You can look at the machine and see its IoT data and see how that robot is performing. You can immerse yourself in each piece of equipment or get a bird’s-eye view.”

Related:How Vision Systems Work in Robotics

As well as offering plant employees instructions, the vision system can identify quality and assembly issues. “The most practical use of 3D vision is to provide manufacturers with CAD tools that give operators better assembly instruction,” said Murray. “The 3D representation can show what parts go where and in what order. They’ll show you what to look at when you’re doing the assembly. If you’ll have defective parts or assemblies that are not right, the system can identify those errors.”

Digital Work Instructions.jpg

Here’s an example of smart 3D digital work instructions for factory and service operations.

Taking 3D Vision to the John Deere Tractor

Recently, Vertex was selected as a supplier to Deere & Company, the manufacturer of agricultural, forestry, and other heavy equipment. Deere employees are using Vertex to access factory conditions, service equipment, and gather data about equipment functionality in real-time. Users can access the content on tablets, laptops, or smartphones.

Users can push 3D vision data beyond the engineering department. The vision software will support John Deere’s industry 4.0 initiatives, including Smart Connected Factory programs, by delivering real-time, actionable 3D data across manufacturing and business operations. The goal is to help John Deere customers build and deploy fit-for-purpose apps that deliver decision-making systems with interactive 3D content.

Taking the Data into the Field

In the past, the sheer size and sensitive nature of CAD data, the cost of 3D hardware and software, and the number of data formats have made it difficult to use 3D product data beyond engineering.

Because the vision platform is in the cloud, users can engage 3D data wherever they are on whatever devices they use. “Manufacturers have an effective way to leverage their 3D data assets beyond engineering,” said Murray. “We’re like Netflix for CAD. You can now reach everyone, everywhere, instantly with 3D.”

About the Author

Rob Spiegel

Rob Spiegel serves as a senior editor for Design News. He started with Design News in 2002 as a freelancer covering sustainability issues, including the transistion in electronic components to RoHS compliance. Rob was hired by Design News as senior editor in 2011 to cover automation, manufacturing, 3D printing, robotics, AI, and more.

Prior to his work with Design News, Rob worked as a senior editor for Electronic News and Ecommerce Business. He served as contributing editolr to Automation World for eight years, and he has contributed to Supply Chain Management Review, Logistics Management, Ecommerce Times, and many other trade publications. He is the author of six books on small business and internet commerce, inclluding Net Strategy: Charting the Digital Course for Your Company's Growth.

He has been published in magazines that range from Rolling Stone to True Confessions.

Rob has won a number of awards for his technolloghy coverage, including a Maggy Award for a Design News article on the Jeep Cherokee hacking, and a Launch Team award for Ecommerce Business. Rob has also won awards for his leadership postions in the American Marketing Association and SouthWest Writers.

Before covering technology, Rob spent 10 years as publisher and owner of Chile Pepper Magazine, a national consumer food publication. He has published hundreds of poems and scores of short stories in national publications.

Sign up for Design News newsletters

You May Also Like