Mixed Reality-powered Construction Quality Checks
The Opportunity
Augmented reality is a game changer for QA/QC/inspections of new construction. It’s super intuitive for inspectors to overlay the 3D BIM/CAD model on top of the built structure and visually compare the two.
Various users have been using Exxar on iPad and HoloLens for conducting quality checks. The process involves placing QR codes on the construction site to align the model. Tools like layers/selection tree, transparency slider, X-ray, and snapshots with annotations come in handy for identifying and reporting issues.
The Challenge
It’s no secret that, depending on site conditions and the AR device capabilities, it’s possible that the model “drifts” after moving around the site, leading to misalignment between the model and the site.
In many cases, this is not significant. However, in cases where the site has a lot of white walls or “flat” structures, the drift is substantial! In a few cases, users are OK to rescan the QR code to realign the model. Other users find this a showstopper for the use of AR at construction job sites.
The Turning Point: MR Headsets to the Rescue?
One of our Oil & Gas EPC clients, operating under tight project timelines and strict safety standards, found the drift on iPads unacceptable. HoloLens was also ruled out due to usability constraints. With thousands of interconnected components (pipes, gauges, equipment) and subcontracted execution teams, quality checks were time-consuming and critical.
Looking for a practical alternative, our customer success team suggested exploring the Meta Quest 3’s Mixed Reality capabilities — something they were already using with Exxar for design reviews.
They agreed to run a pilot.
iPad | Quest 3 | |
Ease of use | High (Zero learning curve) | Moderate (Some learning curve) |
Model size | Large (20M poly) | Medium (2M poly) |
Cost | Low ($500 to $1000) | Low ($300 to $500) |
Model stability | Moderate to Poor, depending on environment | Excellent |
For the lack of a device, our customer success team proposed to try out the mixed reality functionality in Quest 3 headsets. Their team has been using Exxar on the Quest for over 2 years for design reviews. They were happy to loan a couple headsets to their construction team for a pilot. With a few minor tweaks, Exxar’s Meta Quest app was ready to be used for this purpose!
The results
Contrary to what we have been made to believe about safety related restrictions with Quest, and pass through devices in General, it turns out that the pilot was a HUGE success. The same users, who had rejected the iPad & HoloLens, found that there was “zero drift” and the visual quality was spectacular. They have even requested a few additional features on our Quest app for this use case!
Last week, on my way to Washington, DC, I got a chance to visit the customer’s construction site personally to check out the technology in action and also gain a deeper understanding of their use case. The customer’s inspection team was very comfortable to use the Quest for model loading and alignment. I witnessed his use of the tech through an iPad which he was casting his Quest to. He then passed on the headset to me. I was pleasantly surprised with the amazing quality despite the bright daylight (this was an industrial module made of steel, and there were no walls to keep the sunlight away). I quickly disabled all layers keeping only the electrical layer. I then walked around the facility using various Exxar features. It was a “Wow” experience for me… especially having used the iPad and HoloLens at many similar project sites. This was by far the best quality and seamless experience of all. We were able to pass the headset around to others and played around for almost 20 minutes or so. The model was stable like a rock!
The Bigger Question
As organizations evaluate Mixed Reality for on-site quality inspections, here are a few critical questions to help guide decision-making:
- Do you have a pressing business use case where traditional QA/QC methods are time-consuming or inconsistent?
- Are you facing limitations with current AR tools like tablets or HoloLens in terms of drift, usability, or visual clarity?
- Is your team open to experimenting with Meta Quest 3 as a cost-effective, high-performance alternative for MR-based inspections?
If the answer to any of the above is yes, we’d be happy to explore how this can be tailored to your workflows.
📅 Click here to schedule a call or live demo and experience how MR can transform your field inspections — quickly, accurately, and at scale.
