With a diameter of 16 metres and a height of four metres, the Elbedome in Magdeburg is one of the largest 360-degree visualisation systems for virtual interactive content in Europe.
"Here we can cover the entire surface the walls and the floor with three-dimensional objects," explains the head of the Elbedome Steffen Masik. "In total, we create an all-round panorama and a floor projection area of over 450 square metres." The mixed reality lab is equipped with 25 state-of-the-art 3D stereo projectors for seamless projection. They create an absolutely realistic image impression.
The project managers are using the visualisation possibilities of the Elbedome to build the new rolling mill at FERALPI STAHL. The resource-saving rolling mill is currently still in the detailed planning stage - the first steel is to be rolled in 2024. The visualisation will therefore be used primarily to optimise the plant configuration for future maintenance, as plant director Uwe Reinecke reports:
"Thanks to the digital twin, we can walk through the rolling mill with our employees, find possible problem areas and, of course, adjust the planning accordingly".
But the digital twin will bring many advantages not only for planning, but also in operation:
"Maintenance is our number one focus, but of course it also allows us to familiarise new colleagues directly with the environment. And we can look at processes in a simulation that involve far fewer dangers," adds Bernd Fischer.
Steffen Masik explains the possibilities of the Elbedome:
"For us, it is a kind of laboratory. Three years ago we took the Dome to a new level to meet the demands of Industry 4.0: the floor has become part of the projection surface and we work with projectors that are also used in 3D cinemas. This illustrates the quality we can achieve with the simulations."
Cooperation between companies, architects or urban planners and the Elbedome is as simple as can be: the planned models can be transferred directly to the Elbedome in the correct format and then projected onto the surface. In case of doubt, the Elbedome team naturally also provides support with fine details.
"We helped FERALPI STAHL with the environment model, for example," says Steffen Masik. "Specifically: our model shows how the new rolling mill will fit into the environment. The simulation thus gains even more 'authenticity'."
The Italian colleagues around the President of the Feralpi Group, Giuseppe Pasini, were also impressed by the technical possibilities:
"It's great that we can use these innovations for the detailed planning of our new rolling mill in Riesa," said Giuseppe Pasini. "It was an impressive experience to be able to stand in the new rolling mill today using the VR glasses."
