One of the most monumental advances in the A/E/C communities over the last five years has been the introduction of digital twin technology. The ability to create a virtually accurate digital replica that can be accessed at any time in any location and interacted with to create true to life designs has been instrumental in advancing the design profession.
But that’s just the surface of what can be achieved with digital twin integration. What if that digital twin could also represent an asset management system? What if it could be used to show facility management staff where critical components requiring service are? What if service manuals were available in the field simply by touching an asset in a digital twin? How about if operations personnel could literally see how efficient an energy production facility is operating? These are just the start of the possibilities for integration of digital twin technology into the everyday environment.
Topomaster created the procedures and has the industry-leading expertise to bring your digital twin solutions to life with full integration into current workflows and, in most cases, existing software platforms. Benefits of digital twin integration include a visual interface that promotes a faster, safer, intelligent environment available to most any stakeholder you choose to give access to.
Digital Twins are an invaluable tool for managing existing infrastructure, planning for future developments or viewing data – it can help you in all phases of a project’s life cycle. No prior application experience is needed to realize the benefits, Topomaster will guide you every step of the way.
BIM-GIS integration is the newest development in GIS. By utilizing existing conditions data obtained from a variety of resources, Topomaster can create accurate 3D models of existing or proposed infrastructure and provide easy-to-use 3D maps for integration with your existing GIS platform. By creating a fully attributed “digital twin” of your infrastructure and assets, data can be displayed in your current GIS and accessed by both field and office technicians opening up an array of new possibilities for viewing and analyzing your data.
Use Case Example: Prior to BIM-GIS integration, field and office technicians would need to search through old plan sheets, documents, or perform a site visit to determine what was needed to replace a valve or perform other maintenance activities. Utilizing BIM-GIS integration, field and office technicians have the capability to search for the specific valve, visualize the asset and associated attributes as if they were in the room.
Examples of BIM-GIS integration:
– 3D modeling of a water treatment plant in support of asset management
– Modeling of existing and proposed features to view and analyze potential impacts
– Modeling of exterior and interior assets to facilitate emergency response operations
– BIM-GIS integration in support of facility and operational management
It is critical to identify what utilities are present and where they are located. Topomaster can provide accurate 2D and 3D maps of your utilities using information obtained from a wide variety of resources. Below are a few use case examples showcasing the use of this new workflow:
Use Case Example 1: When responding to an emergency leak or preparing for a construction project, field technicians can navigate directly to the underground feature and view the underground facilities without the need to break ground. Knowing the “where” and the “what” about your assets will minimize excavation accidents. This improved workflow will limit the time spent searching for and repairing breaks in the field.
Use Case Example 2: If there is a gas leak and a valve needs to be shut off for a specific line for repair, an analysis tool can be run to determine which customers might be affected enabling field and office technicians to act appropriately based on the information stored in your GIS database. If there is a contaminant in your water system, an analysis tool can be utilized to trace it back to the source.
Use Case Example 3: Prior to excavating for a water line, field technicians can view the work area from the office, as well as in the field in a 2D, 3D, or virtual reality map to visualize above and below ground hazards minimizing potential impacts to underground facilities during the construction process.
Benefits of Utility Mapping:
– Ability to perform various types of geospatial analysis
– Identify where your assets are located
– Ability to utilize tools such as clash detection
– Reduction of field accidents and mishaps
– Centralized data stored in one location