How can you use AR to improve CAD collaboration and coordination?

CAD collaboration and coordination are essential skills for architects, especially when working on complex or large-scale projects. However, traditional methods of sharing and reviewing CAD models, such as 2D drawings, screenshots, or video calls, can be limiting, time-consuming, and prone to errors. That's why more and more architects are exploring the potential of augmented reality (AR) to improve CAD collaboration and coordination. AR is a technology that overlays digital information, such as 3D models, onto the real world, creating an immersive and interactive experience. In this article, we'll show you how you can use AR to enhance your CAD workflow, communicate your design ideas more effectively, and solve problems faster.

1 Benefits of AR for CAD

Augmented Reality (AR) can provide many advantages for CAD collaboration and coordination. Visualizing CAD models in real scale and context can help evaluate design decisions, spot potential issues, and make adjustments more efficiently. AR devices or apps allow team members, clients, and stakeholders to share CAD models and annotations, as well as interact with them using gestures, voice, or touch. Additionally, it’s possible to integrate CAD models with other data sources such as BIM, GIS, or IoT and display them in AR to coordinate with other disciplines. Lastly, AR can be used to enhance presentations and pitches by showcasing CAD models in order to impress an audience, more clearly convey a design vision, and obtain feedback quickly.

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Arghavan O.

Architect ,Interior Designer ,3D visualizer | Bachelor of Architecture - BArch
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Augmented Reality (AR) enhances CAD collaboration and coordination in several ways: Visual Context: Overlay 3D CAD models onto the real world, aiding spatial understanding. Remote Assistance: Experts can guide local workers using real-time AR annotations. Assembly Visualization: AR helps visualize assembly steps, reducing errors and improving efficiency. Onsite Collaboration: Teams can collaborate on-site, minimizing miscommunication and streamlining workflows

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Jonathan Archer

Senior Manager, Product Group Engineer, DePuy Synthes R&D Technology Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices
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Additionally the use a AR allows for having a shared experience on a CAD design when the parties in the experience are separated in different rooms, countries, and potentially even planets! AR allows the user to bridge the gap of interaction with a design, when both the CAD model is overlaid with VR of other participants. Examples are seeing what they are interacting with or looking at, as if they are in the space with you.

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Ar. Md Abdul Vasi

Architect | Interior Design professional | Space Planner | Archviz/CG Artist | Healthcare Architecture | BIM Enthusiast
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Augmented Reality (AR) revolutionizes CAD collaboration in architectural design by overlaying digital models onto the physical environment. This seamless integration enhances communication, facilitates real-time visualization, and allows stakeholders to identify and address issues before construction begins. AR transforms how we perceive and interact with designs, promising a more efficient and precise collaborative process.

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2 How to use AR for CAD

To use AR for CAD collaboration and coordination, you'll need three main components: a CAD software, an AR platform, and an AR device. To get started, you should select a CAD software that meets your needs and preferences, and supports exporting models in a compatible format for AR. After that, you should choose an AR platform that enables you to upload, manage, and share your CAD models in AR, plus offers features like cloud storage, multi-user collaboration, data integration, or analytics. Examples of such platforms are Sketchfab, Unity Reflect, or Autodesk BIM 360. Lastly, pick an AR device that allows you to view and interact with your CAD models in AR. It should match your budget, performance, and comfort requirements. Examples of such devices are smartphones, tablets, headsets, or glasses.

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3 Best practices for AR for CAD

To make the most of AR for CAD collaboration and coordination, there are some best practices to follow. Optimize your CAD models for AR by reducing their size and complexity, applying the right materials and textures, and ensuring accuracy and quality. Test your CAD models in AR before sharing them by checking scale, orientation, lighting, and interaction, and making any necessary adjustments. The environment for your AR experience should be chosen carefully - it should have enough space, light, and contrast, and should match the context of your CAD models. Additionally, provide clear instructions and guidance for your AR users on how to access, view, and interact with the CAD models in AR as well as what they can expect from the experience.

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4 Challenges and limitations of AR for CAD

Using Augmented Reality (AR) for CAD collaboration and coordination can be a powerful tool, but it also has some challenges and limitations. Technical issues, such as compatibility, connectivity, battery life, or performance can affect the quality and reliability of the AR experience. Additionally, user issues like the learning curve, usability, or comfort can affect the adoption and satisfaction of AR users. Lastly, ethical and legal issues, such as privacy, security, or copyright can impact the protection and ownership of CAD models and data in AR.

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Jonathan Archer

Senior Manager, Product Group Engineer, DePuy Synthes R&D Technology Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices
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In my experience one other limitation with AR for CAD is the management of transformed data into AR. There are limited to no data management solutions, so if you CAD revises you are typically rebuilding AR experiences. Better ties to systems such as PLM, allowing for traceability and updating to the AR experience is key to moving AR into the mainstream.

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5 Future trends of AR for CAD

AR is a rapidly evolving technology that is constantly improving and expanding its capabilities and applications for CAD collaboration and coordination. Some of the future trends of AR for CAD include mixed reality (MR), which combines AR and virtual reality (VR) to create and manipulate digital objects in the real world, or to blend the real and virtual worlds seamlessly. Holographic projection is another technology that projects 3D images in the air, without the need for any device or screen, allowing users to view and interact with CAD models in a more natural and realistic way. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance your AR experience by providing features such as voice recognition, image recognition, or data analysis.

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Jonathan Archer

Senior Manager, Product Group Engineer, DePuy Synthes R&D Technology Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices
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The future will have a crossroads in which MBD/MBE initiatives cross with AR experiences. As device accuracy and interactions improve, the end user will be able to receive and inspect physical items by using AR annotated with MBD PMI information.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you use AR to improve CAD collaboration and coordination?

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1 Benefits of AR for CAD

2 How to use AR for CAD

3 Best practices for AR for CAD

4 Challenges and limitations of AR for CAD

5 Future trends of AR for CAD

6 Here’s what else to consider

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