GUIDE NO. 02 – DATA ACTIVATION SERIES
Models as the spatial Heart of the Digital Twin assets
In Aize, the 3D model is more than a visual, it’s a smart spatial layer that connects people to data through geometry. It represents your real-world facility in a structured digital environment.
Why 3D Model Matters
A well-structured 3D model turns complex infrastructure into an intuitive, explorable environment, making data more accessible, insights more immediate, and collaboration more seamless.
- Clarity through Context: See systems, equipment, and layout in their actual position.
- Data in 3D: Instantly access linked documents, maintenance data, and more by interacting with components.
- Improved Collaboration: Enable engineers, planners, and operators to speak the same visual language.
Navigating and Interacting in Aize
The 3D Model Viewer in Aize makes complex assets simple to explore. Core capabilities include:
- Pan, Zoom, Rotate: Intuitive controls to inspect any element in detail.
- Orbit and first-person camera modes: Orbit mode enables quick and seamless navigation of the asset at any proximity and first-person mode provides the ability to walk through the asset using keyboard inputs to control motion and camera heading.
- Filtering: Focus on specific areas, systems, or tag groups.
- Search: Find components by tag number or type instantly.
- Data Linking: Click any object to access connected documents, P&IDs, maintenance tasks, or historical data.
- Smart Integration: Seamless connection with 2D drawings and tag-based systems.
Preparing Models for Impact
To power meaningful spatial experiences in Aize, 3D models must be more than detailed. They need to be structured, connected, and ready for data activation.
Aize supports multi-CAD environments, allowing you to load and combine models from different sources and stages — such as concepts, volumes, or proposed modifications — into a single, explorable view. This flexibility helps users compare options, validate plans, and collaborate more effectively.
Minimum Requirements for a Powerful Experience
- Supported Formats: Upload common formats like RVM, NWD, IFC, STEP, SOLIDWORKS, Parasolid, and more.
- Smart Tagging: Ensure 3D objects are named or tagged in a way that enables automated mapping to tags, documents, and work orders in Aize.
- Model Size Guidelines:
- Max 16.7 million nodes per model.
- Max 512 KiB metadata per node.
Aize uses automated mapping powered by pattern recognition to link 3D content with other asset data, even if naming styles vary slightly. This unlocks the full potential of the digital twin: connected, contextual, and ready for action.
Smart Navigation Through Relationships
In Aize, a tag is never just a tag — it’s your starting point for exploring an entire web of connected information.
The 3D Model Viewer lets you explore your asset using hierarchical and relational navigation. Whether you’re tracing a system, isolating an area, or jumping between related work orders, Aize provides multiple pathways to insight.
Navigate with Purpose:
- Use the left-hand hierarchy panel to browse:
- 3D model structure.
- Asset/system breakdowns.
- Area/module groupings.
- Jump through the info panel using automatically mapped relationships and linked objects
Context at Your Fingertips
Aize connects more than just files—it links datasets across systems. Navigate effortlessly between:
- Tags ↔ Documents
- Functional Locations (CMMS)
- Integrity Structures (IDMS)
- Work Orders & Maintenance Records
- Anomalies & Deviations
- Time Series Data
Even property fields that mention other tags or objects become clickable links, making it easy to move from one piece of information to the next with zero friction.
Best practice recommendations
Preparing Your Model
- Validate before upload: check for duplicates, broken elements, or missing tags.
- Use structured naming and a logical hierarchy.
- Ensure metadata (tags, types, areas) is filled and consistent.
Working in Aize
- Use filters to isolate systems during inspections.
- Search tags to jump straight to relevant equipment in 3D.
- Link documents or maintenance data to 3D objects for rich context.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Uploading unstructured or inconsistent models.
- Missing metadata that limits filtering or search.
- Misaligned hierarchies between model and documentation.
Further reading
This is just a brief introduction as part of our data activation series. You’ll find more information about how you can unlock the power of your data on our Data Activation homepage.