Inspection case study

Why Contractors Are Turning to AR
for Precise Layouts

Faced with complex steel layouts on a 75MW data center project, a specialty contractor turned to XYZ Reality to boost accuracy and speed. Discover how AR technology transformed their workflow, cutting layout time in half and eliminating costly rework.

LAYOUT ACCELERATION

100%

FASTER PER DAY

Daily steel placements doubled with Atom

THE PROJECT

Client:
Confidential

Project:
Data Center

Location:
Nebraska

Size:
75 MW

A leading specialty contractor was engaged on a ~75MW data center project in Nebraska, US. As part of the build for a global data center operator, the contractor was responsible for installing complex supplemental and cloud steel structures on the facility’s FSA (Fan Support Assembly) roof. Accuracy in layout was critical to avoid clashes with other trades and maintain tight project schedules.

Challenge

On this high-profile data center build, the specialty contractor faced the challenge of precisely setting out numerous pieces of supplemental and cloud steel on the roof. Even minor deviations could lead to significant issues, including clashes with electrical conduit, HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems.

Traditional layout methods were labor-intensive and error-prone, risking costly rework and schedule delays. The contractor needed a faster, more accurate solution to ensure steel placements matched the design model exactly.

Dense supplemental steel layout demands precise coordination among all trades, helping eliminate the costly rework seen on past data center projects.

Solution

XYZ Reality deployed its construction delivery platform and engineering grade AR to transform the layout process. Each day, the specialty contractor’s crew used the Atom to load the project’s 3D BIM model and coordinate on the roof.

Key steps included:

Performing a standard Atom setup to align the digital model precisely with physical site conditions, using control lines projected from the ground floor to the roof via a plumb-bob laser.

Opening the holographic overlay and confirming that holographic steel elements matched physical control lines.

Ensuring layout personnel were positioned directly beneath or in line with the holographic images to prevent perspective errors that could exceed 10mm.
Guiding workers in manlifts to mark steel locations accurately on the roof structure using squares and markers, enabling precise placement during installation.

By integrating real-time, accurate holographic visualization, the team could confidently translate the digital model into the physical environment with high accuracy.

Results

Thanks to XYZ Reality’s Atom platform, the specialty contractor achieved significant benefits:

Accelerated Layout: The team averaged 70 to 120 steel placements per day, completing nearly the entire FSA layout in just 2–3 weeks – a process that would traditionally have taken well over a month.

Reduced Rework: Early visual validation of steel placements minimized the risk of clashes, helping avoid costly rework and delays.

Improved Installation Efficiency: Marking multiple steel locations in advance enabled installers to place several pieces at once, rather than handling them one at a time, streamlining the process.

Enhanced Trade Coordination: Clear, precise layout data allowed other disciplines – HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, and more – to plan their installations around the steel structure, reducing conflicts and maintaining project momentum.

Installed supplemental steel precisely matches the digital model, staying within construction tolerances thanks to accurate AR-guided layout.

Why is it important to build it right, first time?

This project demonstrates how XYZ Reality empowers specialty contractors to “build it right, first time.” With real-time, engineering-grade visualization and precise layout, the Atom ensures every element is installed exactly where it should be – eliminating costly rework, reducing risks, and accelerating project timelines.

Across the $14bn in projects managed through XYZ Reality’s platform, the results are clear: faster builds, lower costs, and higher-quality outcomes. Building it right the first time isn’t just a goal – it’s the future of construction, and XYZ Reality is leading the way.

Ready to double your layout speed? Book a demo of XYZ Reality’s Atom and see precision AR in action.

Request a demo