3D Layout Scanning for Smart Manufacturing : Method Development and a Study of Future Possibilities

Sammanfattning: The term ‘Industry 4.0’ leads to many new possibilities like smart factory which is the amalgamation of manufacturing systems in a network to perform tasks more efficiently. It is becoming more and more important for the companies to develop smart factories and integrate the devices within such a facility to meet the demands of the evolving market. The next generation production systems are designed to share the data within the network, plan, and predict the solution for the future problems. One such technology under smart factory is 3D laser scanning resulting in point cloud of the production unit. The traditional way of documenting a layout is usually with the help of 2D computer aided designs which are susceptible to measurement errors and changes that are not updated regularly. With the help of point clouds, an as-is representation of the factories can be recorded which can be easily updated with changes in the real world. With advancements in virtual manufacturing, the need for visualization of the factories is increasing drastically. 3D Laser Scanning is one of the better ways of meeting this need, among many other applications. The focus of the thesis had been to create a method document for 3D laser scanning of factories and to discuss the future possibilities of it. The research approach used in this thesis was conducting observational study, interviews and testing of the method. One such future possibility is autonomous scanning and how it would be beneficial for a company like Scania which is developing smart factories. Based on the study carried out during the thesis, a document presenting the method developed is included in the report. The report also points out the applications and benefits of point cloud over traditional layout planning methods.