7 Spatial context and 3D insight
This chapter covers
- Fundamentals of mesh-based 3D visualization
- Spatially positioning 3D models and overlaying data
- Tools and techniques for reality capture and 3D model creation
- Immersive technologies for integrating data with 3D models
Three-dimensional visualization elevates a digital twin from a collection of data into an intuitive spatial experience. Sensors generate measurements, data pipelines deliver analytics, and models describe behavior, but 3D views provide the spatial context that makes complex systems easier to understand. Whether you’re examining heat distribution in a factory or tracing pipe networks in a refinery, 3D representations reveal scale, depth, and physical relationships that 2D charts cannot convey.
Many real-world systems are inherently three-dimensional. Buildings have height, terrain has elevation, and cities are shaped by complex volumes rather than flat surfaces. 3D visualization extends what 2D mapping can express by adding depth, enabling users to explore and communicate spatial information in a way that aligns with how we perceive the physical world.