The Warwick Visualisation Centre

Citation

(2001), "The Warwick Visualisation Centre", Work Study, Vol. 50 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2001.07950eaf.004

The Warwick Visualisation Centre

The Warwick Visualisation CentreKeywords: Computer hardware, Computer graphics, Presentation graphics, Technological innovation

Containing some of the most up-to-date visualisation and multi-media presentation equipment in the world, the Warwick Visualisation Centre has been established through a partnership between PTC, Sun and Warwick Manufacturing group.

Aimed at making traditional manufacturing and telecommunications companies more innovative, this centre of excellence hosted at Warwick University is packed with the latest technologies and expertise.

At the heart of the centre is an impressive multi-media presentation theatre. The imposing 6m wide screen, cast in a single piece of acrylic sheet, was shipped in by sea from the USA, and in order to get it into the building, the rear of the centre had to be breached. The presentations are driven by Sun computers, which are located at the rear of the theatre.

The high-tech screen can be configured in many different ways. For example, in using the Sun E450 Visualisation server it is possible to display one image 6m wide by 2m high. The E450 server contains three Expert 3D graphics cards and each of these cards drives one of the three projectors located behind the screen. Each image is then projected up onto the screen via large mirrors. Due to factors of prodigious expense and weight, real mirrors are not used and instead are made from stretched Mylar sheet.

Alternatively, the screen can be split into three. For example, a Sun Ultra 10 computer could be used on the left screen, whilst a notebook PC running a presentation is projected on the right screen and a SunBlade workstation used in the centre panel.

Trimension Systems, experts in the installation of immersive presentation environments, installed the entire projection system. The centre is also a milestone for Sun – the first visualisation environment in the world, with more being planned through its partnership with Trimension.

Presentations have been developed to cover a range of industries – from aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding through to telecommunications. Each presentation has been constructed to address real world business problems. Windchill and Pro/Engineer are used throughout the presentations, with Division Mockup being employed to add real impact with its immense 3D visualisation capabilities. To really bring the projected models to life and literally popping out of the screen, viewers are equipped with 3D stereo glasses.

The new visualisation centre at Warwick has already made a major impression on blue chip customers as well as visitors from the Department of Trade and Industry. "This centre is well ahead of its field and we hope businesses will take advantage and use it for internal design reviews or to help win new contracts through the use of high impact marketing presentations", says Mark Morley, PTC marketing manager for the centre. "The Warwick facility is PTC's first collaboration centre in Europe, and the third in a worldwide network that will stretch from Boston and Detroit to Munich and Tokyo". Eventually the centres will all be connected to create a global environment for demonstrating collaborative commerce activities.

Many companies are starting to install their own collaborative design review facilities but the centre recognises that not all companies are financially able to set up such facilities, and this is one reason why PTC will be encouraging its customers to come and take full advantage of the centre.

"This is as technologically advanced as presentation facilities get", says Mark. "It's a truly unique environment for showcasing these technologies and it allows companies to see our vision of the future of manufacturing in the Internet age".

Warwick University is located in the industrial heartland of the UK, with European customers being able to fly directly into Birmingham Airport, less than 20 minutes away. Warwick Manufacturing Group is a renowned researcher into manufacturing technology and will be using the centre to address the real issues facing manufacturing companies. "Anybody who has a product or service that has a lifecycle, can benefit from the centre", says Mark. "It's about eliminating waste from manufacturing processes, reducing time lines and increasing the ability to communicate up and down the supply chain".

The Internet revolution is here and the Visualisation Centre at Warwick University helps bring this future alive. A future for manufacturing that is being defined by WMG, PTC and Sun.