Throughout my career in the nuclear industry, I’ve been fortunate enough to have been involved in the design, construction, and operation of several new facilities either as a supplier or as the eventual owner/operator. It’s fair to say that without exception, every one of them has required some form of modification to the design either before construction, during, or even post-handover. Causes have ranged from unforeseen clashes and interactions with existing facilities, to subsequently finding better ways of making it work.
I’ve dabbled in using virtual reality to overcome some of these issues with some success; most notably when a clash with existing equipment was spotted before some new kit was installed into a heavily contaminated area. If this clash hadn’t been spotted, it would have necessitated personnel being sent in to rectify the problem, resulting in unnecessary dose uptake. A definite business case for using VR, so why isn’t it more mainstream?
In my mind, the thing that has prevented more widespread use of VR technology in the sector, has been the accessibility to it or perceived lack of, for all project stakeholders, from designers to constructors to operators.
That’s where v360 come in. Founded by ex-senior project manager Sam Slater, v360 are, in my view, showing everyone how it should be done. Thanks to their sector knowledge and technical expertise, the v360 team understand better than anyone, the intricacies and challenges inherent within the nuclear industry, and how best to overcome them. Their virtual reality visual communications platform provides multi-level benefits for all project stakeholders and is a complete step-change from traditional methodology. Designers can see how their design elements interact with others, identifying issues before they arise. Constructors can virtually build the job optimising the construction sequence as they go. Operators can get a real feel of how it will operate whilst still at concept stage, flushing out operability problems early. Training can be undertaken before the facility is completed, substantially reducing the time before it can be put into full operation. More importantly, emergency scenarios can be simulated and emergency response scenarios tested and validated.
The results are real: projects are significantly de-risked, while time, money, and lives are saved.
In my drive to help make the nuclear industry more efficient, I’m convinced that V360 have a massive part to play.
If you would like further info or to schedule a demonstration of v360’s visual communications platform and latest work, then please get in touch with me or Sam directly at sam@v360.group.