Smart Machine Operation with Augmented Reality
Felder Group, a global leader in woodworking machinery, leverages the power of Hololight Stream to take their AR application, F4®Vision, to the next level.
Felder Group: Case Study Overview
To overcome the technical limitations of standalone AR hardware in heavy industry, Felder Group utilized Hololight’s XR streaming technology. This integration allows for the real-time visualization of high-poly CNC cutting paths and workpiece data, turning complex machine setups into an intuitive, guided process that ensures high-precision results even for non-standardized materials.
- Organization: Felder Group (Woodworking Technology)
- Challenge: Manual positioning of non-squared workpieces was time-consuming, lacked reference points, and was prone to costly errors.
- Solution: XR Streaming the F4 Vision AR application with Hololight for intuitive AR-guided positioning for clamping devices and workpieces
- Result: Real-time visualization of complex data, fewer errors, and increased productivity. This solution makes it feasible to profitably produce even single, custom pieces.
Digital Precision in Woodworking: The F4 Vision Integration
Operating complex CNC machines demands high precision and skill. For machine operators, placing non-squared workpieces is a significant challenge because there are no physical reference points to rely on. Traditional methods for positioning workpieces are often time-consuming and prone to errors, which directly impacts productivity and efficiency on the shop floor.
To bridge this gap, Felder Group developed the F4 Vision AR application. Enabled by Hololight’s streaming technology, F4 Vision transforms CNC machine operation by providing intuitive, AR-guided positioning for clamping devices and workpieces. With this functionality, customers can see their pre-milled workpiece virtually in 3D, making it effortless to position the finished milled workpiece on the non-square shaped raw material. This capability is what makes it possible to work profitably in "Batch Size 1", delivering custom, single-unit pieces with the efficiency of mass production.
Real-Time Visualization of Complex CNC Data
The ability to work profitably in "Batch Size 1" is a primary advantage for Felder Group's customers. This efficiency is driven by the capacity to visualize complex data, including the machine's cutting paths and starting points, directly in the operator's field of view.
By offloading rendering to a local server, Hololight Stream allows for the real-time visualization of this data. This technical setup ensures that the operator is not limited by the processing power of the headset, allowing for a detailed 3D overlay of the workpiece and the machine’s intended movements. This guided process removes the guesswork from manual positioning, ensuring that even unique, one-off pieces are produced with high accuracy.
The Strategic Role of XR Streaming
For Felder Group, the implementation of AR had to be reliable to be effective. The company found that Hololight’s expertise and cooperative attitude were essential in developing a solution that met the rigorous demands of the woodworking industry.
“This is only possible with the streaming technology by Hololight. The streaming technology is the key. If this wouldn’t work perfectly, nobody would use it.”
— Armin Brucic, Head of Software Development & Application Engineering, Felder Group
By utilizing Hololight's streaming architecture, Felder Group has moved from traditional, manual setup methods to an innovative, digital-first approach. This integration ensures that CNC operators have the visual references they need to maintain high performance across a vast portfolio of machines and complex workpieces. And since the 3D application itself never leaves the local infrastructure and only encrypted image data is transmitted, existing security standards remain fully intact as well.