Holo-Light develops “ARES” Augmented Reality workspace for CAD data visualization

In Augmented Reality News

May 6, 2020 – Augmented Reality company Hololight has announced today that it has developed a new AR workspace for industrial users. The Augmented Reality Engineering Space, or “ARES“, enables engineers and industrial designers to visualize, edit and share CAD data as 3D holograms in a real environment. 

According to Hololight, ARES optimizes workflows in development and helps to efficiently reduce time and costs. The AR software suite is suited for prototyping, factory planning and quality control – for example, in mechanical engineering, the automotive and process industry, as well as in aerospace and aviation.  

Users can load CAD files into ARES simply by drag and drop. Using a head mounted display such as Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, intermediate results, possible variants or final concepts can be displayed in 3D and original size. Users are also able to freely manipulate the holograms with simple gestures via HoloLens, changing not only the size, but also the position or angle of a 3D object. It is also possible to create a cross sectional image to allow for the examination of internal structures of an object. Users can have the complete hierarchy tree of a CAD file available to select or hide individual components.

Inconsistent details or easily overlooked design errors in the model are clearly visible and can be modified, plus the superimposition of real geometry with holographic 3D models offers a flexible and cost-effective method of assessing different variants of a concept in minutes. For example, in factory planning, AR software can be used to visualize and manipulate planned pipelines and assemblies directly at their intended location, with digital twins helping users to determine whether planning and reality are in fact compatible.

“Almost every business can be influenced sustainably with ARES. The Augmented Reality software overcomes barriers between people and technology. It renders workflows collaborative. Engineers or industrial designers have the means to visualize, edit and present their development together in the AR workspace, regardless of location,” said Florian Haspinger, CEO and co-founder of Hololight.

ARES provides a 3D collaboration environment to bring together various departments from within organizations, as well as end users, all of whom can come together for a virtual work session on an identical 3D project. All adjustments to digital models, whether discussed or marked on the digital model itself, can then be seamlessly integrated into the corresponding tools of further workflows. 

Furthermore, Hololight states that ARES is compatible with the company’s other AR solutions for remote rendering and AR input devices. With Interactive Streaming for Augmented Reality (ISAR), Hololight has developed a remote rendering technology to visualize large amounts of 3D data in real size: for example, entire cars or larger production plants. In addition, Stylus XR, Hololight’s high-precision AR input device in the form of a pen, complements the software solution package, and allows users to perform millimeter-accurate work, measurements and movements in an Augmented Reality environment.

For more information on Hololight’s Augmented Reality Engineering Space, please click here.

Image credit: Simon Toplak / Hololight

About the author

Sam Sprigg

Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.