Retrofitting a running casthouse: walk it in VR first
Retrofitting an existing casthouse places particular demands on planning. New equipment and components have to fit into existing structures, while production interruptions need to be kept as short as possible.
Especially in complex retrofit projects, Virtual Reality makes it possible to review the planned installation realistically before work begins.
“As-built point clouds align new components with the actual geometry on site.”
Using existing plant and building data, the planned retrofit can be explored virtually at full 1:1 scale. This allows important aspects to be reviewed at an early stage:
- Available space and potential collisions
- Access for maintenance and service
- Crane paths and installation areas
- Escape routes and traffic routes
- Positioning of new equipment and components
- Installation and shutdown procedures
Engineering, operations and project teams can review the design together in the virtual environment, check distances and incorporate necessary adjustments directly into the next planning stage.
This helps identify problems before they cost time and money on site.
The virtual environment can also remain useful after the planning phase, for example to familiarise operators with new equipment and changed workflows before commissioning.
Planning a retrofit or extension of your existing plant?