As a medium-sized enterprise with a worldwide export Schaaf had to face a problem regarding the presentation of large plants. In the last few years Schaaf did without the set-up of a complete production plant in favour of the presentation of new machines and product developments.

Plant layouts, photos and videos were, however, not able to illustrate the dimensions of an extruder plant starting from the raw material mixing until the output of the final product to all potential customers. Visits at reference customers got more and more difficult due to the confidentiality regulations of the production companies and can hardly be done today.

Using FreeMove3D^® Schaaf can avoid the restrictions mentioned before and can offer the potential customers a new service on the webpage as of now; to enter the virtual pilot plant in full 3D in real time and (depending on the monitor) in full HD – at any time and on every place of the world, if the Web is at disposal.

After having called the application, the visitor is in an anteroom and can directly call up a video on the monitor at the forefront.

On the right side you have the access to the public area, where Schaaf presents the extruder 9250.

The user moves to the door with the help of a keyboard control, opens it by the mouse click and enters the room.

He moves freely in the room by using the keyboard and mouse again or alternatively in the suspended modus and can observe the extruder in its real dimension on a scale 1:1 from each corner.

Beyond that he can start up the extrusion plant and have a virtual shape produced or he can get the extruder indicated as a freely moving 3D detail model. The click on the brochure box opens the data sheet of the system for viewing and offers a PDF download in the language already deposited in the relating browser detection.

Furthermore you may call further functions in the room over the Pad-PC, for example shape gallery or recipes.

Of course the contact possibilities are also integrated here, mails can be sent and the position is indicated as an interactive map.

On the other side of the anteroom, opposite the public area, is the access to the snack complete plant, as mentioned before from the material supply to the after treatment of the extrudate.

This door can only be opened with the correct access code as this area is only available for registered users.

The functionality at each plant section is comparable with the one of the public area with a freely movable 3D detailed view and brochure call-off. But most essential, the registered visitor can experience the plant line in full size in the modelled hall, can freely move in the hall and may enjoy the dimensioning from the right angle of view with the proper dimensions in 3D and in real time.

Here we have also placed a production animation that gradually follows the production course and “takes” the visitor to the plant, live-sounds support this adventure.

A Pad-PC is available in this hall, too, whereas the “recipe” section gives further information for registered visitors. The shape gallery and the contact functions are of course also at disposal.

Conclusion: the use of the FreeMove3D^® concept makes it possible to model the halls of the online pilot plant in the necessary size to be able to present the plants with the right dimensions there and at the same time give the visitor of the webpage the possibility to freely move in these completely modelled 3-D rooms and to eye up everything from a self-selected angle of view.

There is no reduced freedom degree as regarding classic pretended „3D-presentations“ that limit the user as still-rendering or as given camera runs. Quite contrary, for its trend-setting food technology Schaaf has chosen an equally trend-setting Web presentation technique and has made it to virtual reality.

Visit the Schaaf online pilot plant and just try the freedom degrees and functions:

www.schaaf-technologie.de/halle .

Request for the access code of registered users:

info@schaafgmbh.com

Legend:

pic 1: anteroom

pic 2: public area

pic 3: Shapes production

pic 4: Detail - freely moving 3D detail model

pic 5: Detail - PDF

pic 6: Detail – PadPC-view

pic 7: Detail – PadPC-gallery

pic 8: Detail – PadPC-recipe

pic 9: registered area