INDUSTRY

Barco has announced that Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC) has selected its simulation and virtual reality training system for the day-to-day training of its aerospace engineers. It will be the first simulation and virtual reality system in China’s commercial aviation industry. The proposed system consists of Barco’s Holospace L-shaped stereoscopic environment and five Galaxy NW-12 active 3D stereo projectors, providing high-resolution and full-immersion 3D stereoscopic environment for daily training of COMAC’s engineers.

Hands-on training aircraft training is often very costly and inconvenient, as aerospace engineers need to visualize and analyze complex mechanical structures. To solve this problem, COMAC had adopted Barco’s simulation and virtual reality training system.

Mr. Zhenwei Wang, Minister of Pilot Training Department at Comac Shanghai Aircraft Customer Service Co., Ltd., commented: "We are the first to integrate simulation and virtual reality technology with trainings for aerospace engineers in China’s commercial aviation industry. Based on leading design and rich installation experience, this system provides full-immersion into life-like physical environments and helps improve our actual operation expertise significantly."

SIMCAD customized visualization solution

In the preliminary design phase, Barco and COMAC negotiated the proposed design after identifying customer’s demands, including virtual assembly/disassembly training, meetings and reporting. Based on its unique SIMCAD design platform, Barco finally provided the customer with a customized comprehensive solution that consisted of an L-shaped, Holospace stereoscopic environment, Galaxy NW-12 active 3D stereo projectors as well as visual assembly software applications.

Full-immersion application

Five units of high-resolution, Galaxy NW-12 active stereo projectors have been installed for the main screen, floor screen and side screens respectively. This enables the 3D stereoscopic images of the inner cabin, engine and mechanical facilities of a real aircraft to be displayed at a scale of 1:1, thus providing users with a highly immersive experience. Integrated with an L-shaped, Holospace stereoscopic environment and ART interactive project equipment, it creates a life-like physical environment for the engineers and enables engineering operation training.

Dual-system application scenario

Barco’s simulation and virtual display system allows up to 3 or 4 people to do simulation training through its stereoscopic environment with large visual field and interactive scenario and operation. In addition, the installation functions as a large- and medium-sized meeting system with multiple eye points. “Barco provided complete support covering project design, application and installation, fully satisfying our requirements for different applications of the system,” Mr. Wang added.

Mr. Tang Feng, Barco’s Managing Director Sales & Service Entertainment for Greater China., stated: "In pace with China’s strategic adjustment and great support to the further development of aviation and the aerospace industry, cutting-edge display technologies have been increasingly applied in this field. Barco has provided great technical support for the Chinese aerospace industry, such as the launch of Shenzhou-IX manned spacecraft and Tiangong II space laboratory. It is our honor to be selected by COMAC and we will continue to provide premium service and leading system solutions for this field to promote the sector and the information-based development of China."