3D Scanning as a part of “Virtual Plant Asset Management” – a short trip to industry 4.0

Today 3D Scanning of existing assets is a well-known tool to generate a reliable foundation for an engineering project. With 3D scans exact dimensions and positions of existing equipment, piping, cable trays and others can be measured and the data can be read as interfering edges when modelling new equipment with a 3D tool. However, the data generated during scanning can provide a much more extensive benefit for the operation of a plant, if prepared in an appropriate way. With an intelligent link of the scanned data with the information of Virtual Plant Asset Management, an all-embracing virtual plant can be generated. Within such a virtual plant, the for various purposes required information can be consolidated from different tools for engineering, operation, maintenance, etc. and be displayed instantly and vividly for the operator. As a result this ensures the on-time availability of any information to take decisions everywhere in an existing plant and thus shortens the time for decisions etc. Integrating 3D scan data into a Virtual Plant Asset Management requires only two main steps and the required infrastructure is well known and easily available on the market without high effort.