PRANATEC integrated Scalable Display Manager to automate calibration for the Mexican Navy's collimated multi-projector maritime simulators — cutting calibration time from several days to a few hours and eliminating the need for on-site technician visits through remote recalibration.
The Mexican Navy is one of Mexico's two independent armed forces, comprising approximately 68,200 personnel, 180 ships, and 130 aircraft. With an extensive coastline and large maritime jurisdiction, the Navy's responsibilities span counter-narcotics operations, protection of oil infrastructure, and disaster relief.
PRANATEC, a Mexican provider of high-performance simulation and training technology, was selected to deliver maritime simulators for three of the country's prominent naval academies, as well as a facility in Veracruz. With over 15 years of experience in training and simulation, PRANATEC integrates advanced simulation technologies to prepare the next generation of specialists.
"PRANATEC builds, sells and maintains training systems for educational institutions in Mexico," said Enrique de la Torre, Director for PRANATEC. "Most recently, our focus has been building maritime simulators for three prominent naval academies in Mexico. Additionally, we have provided simulators to the Mexican Navy at their facility in Veracruz."
PRANATEC partnered with VSTEP Simulation to provide NAUTIS, an advanced software platform for maritime simulation, integrated with the NAUTIS naval task force module covering tactical communications, amphibious landing, replenishment at sea, and anti-piracy training.
"Our maritime simulators include projection, 240-degree visualization and a collimated screen," explained De la Torre. "Most maritime simulators are designed with screens, but collimation is an essential feature for the Mexican Navy and their training academies because they've already adopted the technology; therefore, they required a solution with collimated screens because of their investment and knowledge of the technology. They wanted to continue with projectors, which required a solution to blend multiple projectors into a singular, seamless display."
De la Torre added, "In 2014, we integrated the first maritime simulator for the Mexican Navy. At the time, we had to calibrate the projectors manually. Our technicians needed significant time to arrange the projectors to calibrate the system manually. If the simulator needed to be recalibrated, we would have to send a technician on-site and communicate with the simulator manufacturer. It was a time-consuming and tedious process."
PRANATEC integrated Scalable Display Manager to automate warp and edge-blending across the collimated multi-projector screens. Each simulator uses five projectors, and the visual fidelity requirements are exacting — any misalignment directly affects training outcomes.
"We are utilizing five projectors with each simulator," noted De la Torre. "It requires a lot of time to get the system right; particularly for this application, the visuals must be flawless. Our simulator partner, VSTEP, had recommended that we check out Scalable Display Technologies. Scalable works seamlessly with VSTEP's NAUTIS platform, simplifying integration and maintenance."
De la Torre added, "Scalable Display Manager has allowed us to reduce our calibration to only a few hours. Previously, manually calibrating a simulator would take several days to a week. Scalable's technology is very straightforward. It requires the initial on-site integration to install the system, but once it's installed, the entire system is very low maintenance."
The shift to automated calibration also transformed the Navy's ongoing maintenance model. What had previously required dispatching a technician to a remote facility can now be handled remotely in a fraction of the time.
"Scalable's technology incorporates cameras to align the projectors for real-time calibration," said De la Torre. "It allows us to remotely recalibrate a system and monitor the visual system in real-time. Previously, the maritime academies would communicate with us and try to adjust the projectors. Ultimately, it would require a technician to come on-site to fix the system. It was a long and tedious process. Today, if anything happens with the simulator, we can log in remotely to perform the recalibration. It has allowed us to reduce installation time, eliminate on-site maintenance, and reduce system downtime."
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