Scan, Design, Simulate & Emulate

At Robsons Handling Technology, we understand how important it is to de-risk site installation. That’s why we provide 3D laser scanning of new sites and 3D overlay of new system designs as early as possible when we start working on a new airport handling project.

We use only the latest technology (Faro Scanner & Navisworks) and utilize these to the full effect when combined with our 3D configurator.

From doing this we are protecting the owner, consultant, and designer of recording from delays and cost over runs.

Clashes designed out or appropriate works included in the site works program are:

Compressed schedule
Lack of change orders
Reduced ROW issues
Scheme confidence

3D Clash Detection

3D scanning of site combined in conjunction with 3D systems design aids clash elimination
Safeguarding the Airport Operator and Consultants from delays and resultant cost over-run
Early clash detection and a “Design-out" philosophy adopted.
In the event clashes cannot be Designed-out, a detailed constraints/enabling works schedule will be developed and included in the works information, resulting in;
Ability to schedule the works
Reduced schedule pressures
Reduce or avoid change orders, due to unknown, unplanned works
Increased Scheme confidence
De Risking of site activities

3D Design in Inventor

At Robson Handling Technology, our real time 3D Design in Inventor will scan and provide a simulation of all conveyor configurations to demonstrate your proposed system and combine design concepts with an actual on-site environment. For added peace of mind, our 3D clash detection, with virtual reality integration, will show where amendments need to be made.

From using our modular conveyor equipment and control functions in Inventor, you’ll be able to adjust passenger & baggage loading and X‐ray decision profiling. This provides accurate results to ensure a fully integrated system is delivered meeting all your system requirements.

By using our 3D design from initial concept to fully tested and commissioned software prior to roll out site, you can ensure that all bottle necks & issues are removed.

Simulation

Here at Robson Handling Technology, we utilize several packages for simulations, only selecting the best fit dependent upon the application type and project requirements.

The key advantage to simulating an airport baggage handling system is to ensure that the proposed design can be achieved at the required baggage throughput.

All the while factoring in:

check-in capacity
screening equipment and decision line characteristics
make-up capacity
the availability of personnel to process bags

If the simulation demonstrates an abnormality such as a system bottleneck, we can quickly modify and create various scenarios to evaluate the alternative designs.

We typically run our static and/or dynamic simulations against an airport’s flight schedule as part of our due diligence on a project, reviewing the system’s response to peak and average day check-in profiles to identifying potential issues.

Emulation

The principal difference between simulation and emulation is that the emulation environment operates the baggage system in response to the programmable logic controller (PLC) application software, rather than internal software embedded into the simulation model itself.

By connecting the actual logical control system to a full physics model and running modelled baggage through it, our clients have a reliable sandbox to accurately test the controls, months before the real system is available. With the simulation, a complete range of tests can be run against various operational scenarios. The model can also be restarted within seconds of a modification being implemented, which is impossible to achieve within a traditional test environment.

Here at Robson’s, our approach to emulation also ensures that there is independence between the engineering team that has written the PLC software and the individuals responsible for the emulation model and emulation test sign-off.

The emulation testing itself is usually conducted against a subset of the actual test documentation that will be used at site. Plus, we typically invite our clients to attend emulation testing as part of the sign-off process, enabling early confirmation of system functionality.