EXERGY SOLUTIONS AND CAD MICROSOLUTIONS LEVERAGE AUGMENTED REALITY FOR FIRST REMOTE ASSISTED 3D PRINTER INSTALLATION

Augmented Reality (AR) technology enables people and organizations around the world to collaborate in real time. If ever the value of remote collaboration was unclear, the pandemic of 2020 set the record straight! With worldwide travel restrictions in place, virtual collaboration was the only option to bring distanced teams together into one environment.

 

The COVID pandemic also brought another opportunity to light – innovative businesses around the world responded to the global crisis in an effort to rapidly produce medical equipment. One such company is Exergy Solutions, a Canadian company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, that aim to accelerate innovation in their clients through AR/VR implementation, 3D printing/modelling and digital solutions.

 

“When the pandemic began we know that we wanted to use our 3D printing technology to produce medical supplies but without proper commissioning we were at a stand still,” explains Billy Rideout, President of Exergy Solutions. “As a solutions-focused team we brought up the idea of using our AR technology for remote collaboration.”

 

As an HP value added reseller in Canada, CAD MicroSolutions has performed numerous installations of HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solutions in businesses of all kinds across the country. A typical installation requires two of our certified HP technicians onsite, with approximately 5 days budgeted to install one machine. By leveraging Exergy’s extensive AR experience, Ontario-based CAD MicroSolutions and Alberta-based Exergy were able to complete the first ever remote installation of an HP Jet Fusion 580 3D printer and an HP Jet Fusion 4200 3D printer.

 

Both teams donned Hololens 2 AR headsets to allow them each to see the same view of the printers, overcoming the distance barrier and enabling CAD MicroSolutions’ technical team to guide the hands of the Exergy technicians onsite. Leveraging AR for the printer commissioning resulted in additional cost savings and reduced the environmental impacts of travel.

 

As we’ve seen in the first half of the year, the traditional workplace is changing and it’s more important than ever to be able to collaborate across geographies and stay productive in uncertain times. Leveraging innovative solutions and the right technology can create opportunity in even the most difficult times, and position your business for success.