CMBernardini – VR-based technologies and design reviews deliver vast efficiency gains

EPC company uses VR to reduce error probability by 70% and cut time used for inspections and testing by up to 75%

Customer challenge

• Reduce risk of errors in tailor-made systems and plants and avoid costly delays and rework.
• Improve efficiency of inspections and testing to get plants up and running faster.
• Engage the customer early in the design phase to receive feedback

Cadmatic solution

• Use of VR-based technologies for project review reduces error probability by 70%
• Use of VR reduces time used for inspections by between 66% and 75%
• VR-based project review vastly improves the customer experience as they can see the exact result in VR.

“We estimate that the use of VR-based technology reduces the possibility of errors by over 70%.” – Gianluca Coccato, Engineering Manager

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CMBernardini, a leading international designer and manufacturer of technologies for the oil & fats, oleochemicals and biodiesel industries, has gained vast efficiencies with the use of VR technologies. It reports that the use of VR translates to an over 70% reduction in the probability of design errors and a similar reduction in the time needed for analysis, inspections, and tests.

Cadmatic was implemented at CMBernardini in late 2019 and is used for VR-based design reviews and piping design integrated with P&ID.

Error probability reduced by over 70%

Rigorous inspections and testing are required before any oil & fats refinery or biodiesel production plant can start operation. Tailor-made systems and plants carry a higher risk of errors due to the unique designs and any errors picked up after or during construction can lead to costly delays and repair work.

“Such delays would not only waste time and money, but you would also have a dissatisfied customer. We estimate that the use of VR-based technology reduces the possibility of errors by over 70%. With VR, you can do all the required inspections and tests long before even a single pipe has been built,” says CMBernardini Engineering Manager Gianluca Coccato.

What used to take 3-4 days, now takes 1 day

CMBernardini indicates that they have also achieved significant time savings with the help of VR. Analyses, inspections, and tests that used to require 3-4 days of work, now take only one! This allows the company to do more inspections at each stage of the design, which improves quality and reduces material waste.

The use of VR also vastly improves the customer experience. Customers can take part in the design phase and comment on design solutions while really seeing what the result will be in VR.

“We use CADMATIC eBrowser with a VR headset in design reviews. It helps to see with your own eyes what the solution will look like in the real world. The review process is smoother and faster this way,” Gianluca explains.

Engineers literally travel inside pipes

VR technologies allow CMBernardini engineers to literally travel inside pipes, electrical systems, metal structures and tanks.

The engineers can verify that every single piece is assembled exactly in the correct way. Other engineers and the customer can follow the navigator’s interactions with the system on a separate screen, which means they can comment on and participate in the inspection.

CMBernardini have also included augmented reality (AR) elements in project reviews leading to more in-depth analysis and verification. During pipe analysis they can, for example, view all dimensional and material data of pipes.

The use of VR and AR technologies assists CMBernardini to keep to promised project time schedules and costs.

Construction of 3 plants underway in Italy

CMBernardini is currently building three plants in Italy: a glycerine distillation plant, an esterification and deacidification plant, and a biodiesel distillation plant. Cadmatic has been used in these projects for piping design and P&ID as well as project reviews with customers.

In addition to project review with VR, Gianluca adds that a great benefit of Cadmatic in these projects has been the integration of P&IDs with modelling, which he says helps designers to double-check line elements, instruments, and routing.

More about Cadmatic solutions

Read about eShare for HoloLens and how it offers an entirely new interactive design and engineering experience in augmented reality where digital 3D models reside in the real-world environment.