New Solution for 3D-CAD Design Reviews using VR pronoDR
“pronoDR” is a design review (DR) system using VR developed for the manufacturing industry. This system converts 3D CAD design data, creates VR content, and enables design reviews. If you create one VR content, it can be used in a variety of situations, from planning in the manufacturing industry to design, manufacturing, after-sales service, and education.
Up to now, pronoDR 1.0 and 2.0 have been used by manufacturers in various fields, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large corporations.
Development background and history
VR systems in the past have spread around the game industry. In 2016, when it was widely reported in the media as “the first year of VR,” inexpensive HMDs (head-mounted displays) such as Oculus Rift and VIVE appeared one after another. Games) have attracted attention. The same is true in the manufacturing industry, and we are hearing about demonstration experiments and system introduction in the fields of automobiles, precision equipment, and industrial machinery.
Pronohearts has been advocating “manufacturing VR” since before it was said to be the first year of VR, and has been working on the development of a VR system that utilizes 3D CAD data, and released “pronoDR version 1.0” in 2016. At that time, industrial VR systems were all high-end systems that cost more than 10 million yen to install, but our company offered licenses and VR content creation services at prices that small and medium-sized companies and small teams could afford. was quickly provided to the manufacturing industry.
At the time, in order to use 3D CAD data in a VR system, it was necessary to convert the solid data into mesh data, which required specialized knowledge and made the work complicated. I had a problem that I tended to. Therefore, we developed a system to import CAD data into the Unity environment together with Unity Technologies Japan G.K., the Japanese company that developed the game engine “Unity,” and Monocommunity Co., Ltd. has been resolved.
pronoDR Main Features
● Cable making function
It is possible to create a cable by clicking anywhere in the VR space. In addition, it is possible to feed back to 3D CAD via CSV as well as marking. By using this function, it is possible to perform cabling of piping and wiring in VR, and it is especially useful for equipment design.
● Marking creation function
It is possible to attach various icons to marks points of interest in the design or points that need to be checked. It is also possible to export the marked XYZ information to CSV and feed it back to the CAD side. With this function, you can check the data in VR. It can be said that it is exactly a VR inspection map.
● Contents changed in VR can be linked with CAD in CSV
pronoDR uses CSV to link VR and 3DCAD. Therefore, Pronohearts has created a CSV import API for the 3D CAD software “SOLIDWORKS”, which is widely used around the world, so that you can easily utilize this collaboration between VR and 3D CAD. Using this API, anyone can easily import CSV files created with pronoDR into SOLIDWORKS.
● It is possible to switch ON / OFF of the room light!
It is also possible to demonstrate work performed at night with the help of headlights, expanding the scope of use not only for design reviews but also for safety training.
● Hand models can hold various tools.
It is possible to improve the ease of assembly, such as whether tools such as spanners can be used during assembly!
● Large CAD models can be displayed!
● Easy conversion with easy-to-understand UI!
● Problems found can be saved as images with the capture function!
● You can move the model!
When you select a model, a gizmo appears, and you can drag the arrow to move in that direction. It can be moved in parallel.
● Like CAD software, edge display is also possible!
It can be displayed with edge shading.
● Glass display is also possible!
A glass material can be set to any model, and semi-transparent display is possible.
● If you customize it, you can also display knees and feet!
Using VIVE Tracker.
