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28th January 2021

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ArtiVR revolutionises design and saves money at TMS Direct Kitchens

Based in East Kilbride, TMS Direct Kitchens, which also incorporates the retail brand Jackton Moor, is an early, and avid, user of ArtiCAD's new ArtiVR software. ArtiVR delivers real-time ultra-high-resolution design walkthroughs, taking 3D designs from ArtiCAD-Pro software.

It produces a high definition 360° VR walkthrough of a complete room, enabling designers to showcase their work as a web-based virtual reality presentation (which can also be shared via web links or embedded on web pages).

TMS installed the ArtiCAD-Pro design software about seven years ago to provide an integrated manufacturing, design and supply service to its retail and trade customers. Early in 2019, the company added ArtiVR to its design capabilities. David Wilson, a designer at TMS says of the decision: "We knew immediately that ArtiVR could take our designs up to a completely new level."

Three TMS designers use ArtiVR on the company's retail side, with three more in the trade showroom. The ArtiVR designs are presented to clients on a 47in. screen and are greeted with surprise when customers see that they are able to move around the design, combined with delight at the realism and level of detail.

"There is a lot of discussion about whether VR applications need a headset but from our point of view and our experience to date, we don't think a headset would add anything to the experience of our customers," says David.

"Many of the larger kitchens we design are open plan, incorporating an island and other living spaces. ArtiVR is proving an immensely powerful tool for showing people how this large space will work. It is undoubtedly helping them make decisions about spaces beyond the kitchen itself as they can experience every angle in every room as they move seamlessly from space to space.

"Before using ArtiVR, we used to design the kitchen and any other rooms as separate files which meant they had to be shown individually to clients. With ArtiVR, it is all one design which makes it much easier for them to envisage the flow between rooms."

An unforeseen benefit for TMS with the installation of ArtiVR has been a huge saving on the need to purchase new, more powerful laptops. The company was on the point of having to make this substantial investment to handle the processing power required for rendering. However because all the rendering for ArtiVR is handled offline - 'on the ArtiCAD side' - there is absolutely no detrimental impact on the speed of the company's existing machines.

"This has been hugely beneficial to us - in terms of the performance of our existing kit as well as saving us thousands of pounds on new hardware," reveals David.

"I have never experienced a system like ArtiVR that just works so quickly from day one. Set up was amazingly fast: we were using ArtiVR within an hour."

TMS opened for business in 2002, now manufacturing some 400 cabinets each week. Employing more than 60 people, the company says its production is running at capacity as TMS satisfies orders from Scottish-based developers, studios and retailers, as well as fulfilling council contracts for refits of their housing stock.

T: +44 (0) 1923 888101
W: www.articad.com

7th June 2019