Oculo allows your teams to easily compare any aspect of your site with the same scene from the BIM model without the need for additional software or training.
Viewing your site's BIM model is a great way to compare reality to design, check readiness for the next build phase, and to identify, flag and request any updates for the As Built model. You can compare any scene, and navigate around, without any manual setup or linking required. We also bring through the native features of the Forge Viewer, allowing you to make measurements within the BIM model, explode views, and hide components. Anyone with access to Oculo can easily enter and use the BIM model without training or additional software, vastly increasing adoption and utility of your models.
Loading your BIM Model
- The starting point for BIM model comparison is within the 360 view of your scan. First navigate to the scene of interest from the floorplans, and click the right-most button (represented by building blocks). This will open the side-by-side view, with the Forge Viewer on the right hand side.
- Wait for the model to load up, indicated by the progress bar below the tool menu. Note that the time taken to load may vary significantly depending on computer performance, network speed, and model size/complexity.
Using the BIM model
- Once loaded, Oculo will keep the BIM model in sync as you navigate, pan and zoom within the scan - similar to using the side-by-side comparison mode.
- You are able to select any component within the model (it will be highlighted blue), then a right click will give you the option to Hide Selected components. Selecting Show All Objects will return any hidden objects. Perfect for hiding walls and ceilings that are in the way of a pipework comparison.
- The toolbar along the bottom of the BIM model offer the native Forge Viewer features. The more useful features for comparisons are detailed below.
First Person Mode
By default the Oculo visual scan and 3D model scene remain in sync when navigating. We are able to unlock the 3D model to enable 'first person' navigation of the 3D model in the right half of the screen - follow the video demo below. The padlock in the middle of the screen represents the sync lock, so turning it off allows first person navigation, and turning it back on will return the screens to synchronisation.
We are developing some exciting new features in Q3 2023 related to this, so watch this space!
Measure Tool
The Measure Tool allows you to quickly take linear or angular measurements from the 3D model between selected points.
Model Browser
The model browser provides the breakdown structure of components within the model. From here you can isolate or hide different levels of the hierarchy, for instance if you are at the earlier phases of construction. You can revert back to the full model by right clicking anywhere in the model itself, and selecting Show all objects. Alternatively, you can hide an individual component in the model by left clicking so it is highlighted blue, then right clicking and selecting Hide Selected.
Note that this breakdown is a part of the 3D model, and may vary in granularity or navigability depending on how the model was initially created.
Component Properties
The model viewer also allows you to view the properties of a component (where this data has been added to the BIM model). To do this, simply select any component in the model so it is highlighted in blue, then click the Properties button. Alternatively you can right click a component, and select Show Properties.
Settings
The Forge viewer settings can be adjusted by selecting the cog symbol, eg:
Configuration -> Display units
Navigation -> Enable gravity (when navigating in First person mode)
Appearance -> Ambient shadows
You can now easily access and compare your BIM model with captured reality, and use the basic features in the Forge Viewer!
Last Updated: 04/01/22