Introduction to Augmented Reality in HVAC&R
In recent years, Augmented Reality (AR) has emerged as a promising and modern technology revolutionizing one industry after one other. Despite being most frequently related to manufacturing, marketing, or retail, AR can be helping Heating, Ventilation, A/C, and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) professionals meet the growing demands of the industry. AR is becoming increasingly prevalent and utilized in various applications and functionalities within the HVAC&R industry. It has modified how project managers, maintenance technicians, and engineers design and install products and train staff in the sphere.
What Is Augmented Reality (AR)?
Augmented Reality (AR) is a live technology that uses computer-generated sensory input to reinforce the user’s perception of the true world by superimposing images, sounds, and data over the user’s real-world environment. This overlay of virtual content changes our perspective of reality, which may be experienced through mobile devices resembling smartphones or tablets. For example, with augmented reality, we are able to seek the advice of manuals just by pointing our camera at a tool or product. This technology has been mainly utilized in gaming and entertainment, but recently, it has caught on in other industries resembling construction and HVAC&R.
Advantages of Augmented Reality (AR) within the HVAC&R Industry
To experience AR, you wish a phone, tablet, AR headset, and an app that supports it. The app needs to find out your location and which direction you’re looking at to superimpose 3D models on top of real-world objects. What does that mean for HVAC&R? Here are five ways augmented reality can improve the HVAC&R industry:
Visualization
The HVAC&R sector relies heavily on visualization to offer detailed details about how a system will function and what’s needed for correct installation. AR will help with all these items by providing an accurate 3D representation of a system or product layout.
Product Experience at Home
By using AR, users can get a live view of how a product would look when installed of their home before they make their buying decision. This allows them to avoid making costly mistakes and lower your expenses on installation costs by getting it right the primary time.
Efficient Collaboration
AR allows technicians and engineers to remain more connected with their colleagues by sharing what they see of their field of view with other team members. It boosts efficiency by providing real-time information on demand from work sites or distant locations resembling a control room or office space.
Streamlining
From design to installation, AR has helped streamline entire processes by taking out paperwork and reducing errors. In addition, AR tools also enable contractors to search out higher equipment matching their requirements and budgets, contributing to reducing costs and speeding up processes!
Training
HVAC&R training is dear, time-consuming, and might even be dangerous at times. AR offers a brand new strategy to train novices for jobs within the HVAC&R industry. By using a digital overlay, AR allows trainees to learn faster by interacting and experimenting with equipment, thus making the training time-efficient and secure.
Augmented Reality (AR) Applications within the HVAC&R Industry
AR could make the invisible visible in HVAC&R systems and products by projecting digital information into reality. It assists HVAC&R engineers and technicians in various exciting modalities. AR is slowly becoming an integral a part of the industry, from product design and training to fieldwork and engineering.
Design
Designing a brand new constructing system may be time-consuming and expensive, whereas the finished product is difficult to visualise. AR facilitates constructing systems design by providing clients with a practical view of their desired product. Designers and engineers can view a full-scale model of their design and get a greater understanding of the design and installation processes.
By utilizing an AR tool for architects, HVAC&R designers and engineers can convert their designs to interactive, scaled 3D models using augmented reality and photorealistic renderings, enabling designers to reinforce their ability to view the components in context before implementation.
So, designers can present their designs without using expensive physical space and resources. This can prove extremely useful in some retrofit projects, which enable architects or technicians to connect a project to an existing constructing without disrupting current operations or occupants.
In addition, each stakeholders and clients can participate and higher visualize the design process because it facilitates full-scale visualization. This gives them more control over the design process and helps them understand how the constructing will work.
As a result, designers could make amendments at any point throughout the design-development without redesigning the whole system from scratch. This can also reduce the prices and time for design and construction.
Prefabrication
The HVAC&R industry has seen increased use and demand for AR devices and apps after the 2008 recession, especially after professionals in the sphere witnessed the vast and efficient applications of AR in business.
HVAC&R contractors found themselves inclined to explore AR’s potential in prefabrication since the associated fee of this technology proved to be much inexpensive than other technologies resulting from its limited need for resources.
AR can transform the prefabrication of HVAC&R equipment by limiting reworks and improving efficiency through sequencing tools that provide step-by-step guidance throughout the project installation and implementation phase, that are powerful resources for contractors.
For example, process diagrams and interactive assembly sequences may be created using Microsoft PowerPoint combined with augmented reality to point out the HVAC&R contractor a step-by-step guide on installing the HVAC&R assemblies.
Technicians may also use AR for resources like repair manuals and schematics to make sure a top quality installation. Consequently, this virtual approach eliminates rework since detailed instructions are provided for every assembly, reducing on-site installation time and production lead times.
Operations and Maintenance
Relevant AR applications are actually being developed to support the HVAC&R industry’s Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) processes to enable staff to maintain track of assets which were inspected, maintenance jobs which were accomplished, assets that need attention, and overdue jobs.
By incorporating AR into inspections, maintenance managers could make higher decisions about what must be done and when, which contributes to saving money and time and improving the corporate’s risk management.
As for technicians, some struggle to take care of schedules for on-site repairs since they need assistance identifying which components require attention quickly. This is where augmented reality is available in, because it puts operational data into context to detect wear, tear, and usage of pipes, ducts, and other industrial equipment.
By scanning QR codes assigned for every asset, technicians can view not only general information resembling equipment ID, serial number, or service intervals but in addition the condition of all parts, regardless of location, on a map in real-time, in addition to data on temperature, mechanical pressure, and all other operational parameters to detect any external aspects that could be affecting a certain a part of a system.
Conclusion
The use of augmented reality is rising within the HVAC&R industry, with many businesses always looking for ways to enhance their efficiency and productivity. By providing a full-scale view of a model, AR makes troubleshooting easier and maintains coordination of constructing systems on point. As its quite a few applications slowly unfold, AR will undoubtedly turn into the driving think about the industry.
