Navvis 3D Scanner for Digitizing Factories
Some of the world's largest manufacturers are using state-of-the-art 3D scanners to bring their factories into the industrial metaverse.
Factory workers at global manufacturers including BMW and Schaeffler Group use wearable NavVis VLX scanning devices to create detailed, real-time 3D models of their factories. The digital twins reflect their physical counterparts in real-time down to the finest details, including machinery, fixtures, and even door knobs. Manufacturers use the digital replicas for smarter factory planning, workflow optimization, and streamlining relocations.
Germany-based Schaeffler, known for manufacturing industrial components like bearings and automotive parts, told Forbes it's digitized 48 of its 100 factories worldwide using the NavVis technology. That's more than 16 million square feet of factory space. Schaeffler reports significant benefits from the initiative, including better communication, faster planning, and reduced lead time for projects.
"We are working on cases where we can bring in live data from our MES (manufacturing execution system) for first shop floor rounds or for discussing potential bottlenecks in machines," Roberto Henkel, Schaeffer's senior VP of digitalization and operations IT, told Forbes.
The NavVis VLX scanner uses LiDAR to measure distances for accurate 3D modeling. Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) enables real-time mapping of indoor spaces, even in areas without GPS.
According to NavVis, the devices can scan a 500,000-square-foot facility in under a week, an 80 percent time savings. Traditional tripod-mounted scanners can take months to scan a large facility.
Manufacturers increasingly rely on digital twins to improve productivity, streamline operations, and adapt to evolving industry standards. As the technology evolves, it's becoming more integrated with artificial intelligence to simulate real-time factory operations.
According to a March 2024 report from the World Economic Forum (WEF), a staggering 92 percent of United States manufacturing executives surveyed are exploring metaverse applications. Worldwide, the industrial metaverse market is expected to hit $100 billion by 2030. Surging in parallel is digital twinning, which is projected to reach $183 billion by 2031.
A whopping 97 percent of industrial manufacturing executives surveyed agreed the convergence of digital and physical worlds will transform industry. In the automotive sector, 70 percent of business executives plan to integrate the metaverse in their organizational activities.
A 2023 Deloitte report indicated more than 90 percent of manufacturing leaders were experimenting with at least one industrial metaverse use case. Most were implementing five or six. Common use cases include virtual product design, virtual prototyping, remote collaboration, real-time documentation, data visualizations, maintenance and repair, quality control, remote monitoring and more.
Munich-based NavVis was founded in 2013, with its primary business revolving around creating high-precision mapping and visualization tools for industries like manufacturing, construction, and real estate. NavVis is now working with NVIDIA to enhance AI-powered digital twins so they can predict future outcomes in industrial settings.