Customer Story: How Equans used Cintoo to Make Cookies
Equans France – World leader in
multi-technical services
Denis-Pascal Carrere
3D Scanning
Depart Manager Equans
Background
Equans Digital is a division of the multi-billion-dollar company in France, Equans (a Bouygues Group company), which brings together the expertise of all the Equans divisions specializing in ICT and digital transformation with over 9,000 experts around the world. This division creates over 1.5 billion euros turnover, half of that in France.
A player in the French agri-food industry approached Equans Digital with an need to update their documentation of their facility. After many years of service, the chief Maintenance officer was retiring. During that time, many changes both in the physical aspects of the manufacturing facility as well as available technologies had changed. The only documentation available was outdated 2D drawings and the legacy knowledge that only chief Maintenance officer knew based on his many years of experience.
The Situation
Unfamiliar with technology or the process of implementing a digital transformation, this customer called on Equans Digital Survey to run a pilot program to validate the initiative of using an Industry 4.0 process by scanning the plant layout, equipment and networks that would serve as the basis for 3D modelling and documenting the manufacturing facility.
Cookie Manufacturing building in France
Workflows Used
Laser scanner: Leica RTC 360 Terrestrial
Cintoo Cloud
Scan to BIM software: Revit
Document Management software: Autodesk Construction Cloud
A team of two surveyors, led by Mr. Carrere, took on the task to create a digital blueprint of the manufacturing facility. The team and client decided to first digitize a Process Technical room of this large facility employing a Scan-to-BIM process of laser scanning all the associated assets and transform it into a 3D model. These point cloud scans would be converted into Mesh using Cintoo and then using Cintoo Cloud to link and eventually tag these assets to their applicable 2D documents and drawings. This would provide the client with a current single source of trustful information regarding their manufacturing facility that could then be compared to their 2D drawings and future repairs, replacements, and updates to the plant. In Cintoo, production and process documentation and notes could also be easily added.
Methodology Solutions
The Equans Digital Team tackled the technical room as a proof of concept for the manufacturer which would serve as a hallmark for the anticipated budget for the digital initiative as well as the implementation plan. Due to the size of the project, a total of two team members were used to scan the technical room using terrestrial laser scanners in one day to avoid long disturbance to the Plant production team. Once the scan was begun the client realized that the networks must also include the routing of these assets outside the technical room in order to capture a complete digital blueprint. This required the team to then scan these assets as they were routed through out the manufacturing plant.
To capture the assets in high precision, 2 Leica RTC 360 terrestrial laser scanner were used during one day on site. For registration and Cleaning of the point clouds, two other days at office were necessary. All point cloud scans were then easily and quickly uploaded into Cintoo and distributed as meshes with no loss of the original scan resolution in less than one week.
Then the Scan-to-BIM implementation using Cintoo and Revit was performed by EQUANS Digital Survey-BIM Industry department by 2 modelers. Finally, all technical documents were linked through Autodesk Construction Cloud with the overall project taking a total of two weeks’ time.
When scanning was complete, the scans were all registered together using Cyclone Register 360 software to create one point cloud of the building. The next task was to go through each scan and remove any reflections that came from mirrors, metal or unwanted objects such as people, other buildings or trees.
Once in Cintoo Cloud, these assets could have all associated 2D documentation and notes attached and using Cintoo’s advanced asset tagging and display capabilities each asset could be tagged along with a meta description of the asset and links to any related documentation or process flows.
Solutions:
As is the case with many existing manufacturing facilities, the need to create a single source of truth using digital transformation is the key to optimizing operations in the present and for the future to assure maximizing ROI. By choosing professional experts such as Equans Digital Survey group, they can deliver successful projects using adequate tools like Cintoo. Once completed this digital blueprint will serve to not only update old 2D drawings and specifications but using Cintoo allow users to upload and compare BIM and CAD models to the actual current asset in use. In addition, the effective management of these assets for repair, optimal performance and future plant reconfigurations and construction is easily implemented using the Virtual Reality capabilities in Cintoo Cloud. Cintoo was a key platform as the final customer has no resources (neither Software or personal) that can manage Digital Solutions.
Viewing scans in Cintoo: Panoramic/Color 3D Mesh and BIM 3D Model overlaid
Since Cintoo allows for an unlimited number of users at no additional cost, as well as no charge for the size of your files, Equans Digital Survey can now share their project with all of the applicable divisions and users at Equans as well as their clients and any contractors. Once the complete facility is scanned to BIM and documented using Cintoo, the facility layouts as well as manufacturing processes and assets can be captured as they exist. By employing Cintoo Asset Tagging and Display features, future changes and updates including repairs and maintenance can be easily confirmed and documented for all applicable users anywhere at any time.
Project and Media Links
Learn more about Equans on their web site: https://www.equans.fr/en/
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