Explainers
What Is Web AR for Industrial Equipment Sales
Web AR lets a sales rep drop a CAD-accurate model of your machine into a buyer's room from a phone browser, with no app and no crate.
Mainstay Digital · · 5 min read
Short answer
Web AR for industrial equipment sales is a 3D model of your machine that opens in a phone's browser and sits in the buyer's real space at real size. A rep shares a link or QR code, the buyer taps "View in AR," and the machine appears on their floor or desk. Mainstay Digital builds it from your CAD file in 3 to 4 weeks through Mainstay One, a subscription from $2,995 a month.
The question a field rep hears most is some version of "how big is it?" A spec sheet answers with dimensions. Web AR answers by putting the machine next to the buyer's conveyor, where they can walk around it.
That matters most for equipment that's heavy, expensive to ship, or hard to picture in place: large machinery, automation cells, processing equipment, and other capital equipment.
What is Web AR, in plain terms?
Web AR is augmented reality that runs in a mobile web browser. The buyer opens a link, grants camera access, and sees your product placed in the room through their phone screen.
The "web" part is the useful part. There's no app to download, no account to create, and no IT ticket on the buyer's side. If they can open a link, they can see the machine.
How does a sales rep use Web AR on a customer call?
The rep sends a link before the meeting or holds up a QR code during it. The buyer points their phone at the floor, and the machine shows up at the size it'll actually be.
A few ways reps put it to work:
- On site: place the robot cell where it would go and check clearances against the existing line.
- On a video call: text the link, then walk the buyer through it while they stand in their own plant.
- In a proposal: add a QR code next to the spec table so the dimensions have something to stand on.
- After the meeting: leave the link behind so the buyer can show their plant manager.
It also evens out the sales team. Your best rep can describe the machine from memory. A newer rep can let the model do some of that describing.
For buyers who evaluate equipment entirely at a distance, the remote equipment evaluation guide covers the full process.
What do you need to create a Web AR model from CAD?
You need a CAD file of the product. One file per product is enough to start.
Raw CAD is engineering output: accurate, heavy, and too dense for a phone. Production strips the geometry back to something a browser can load quickly, adds materials and color, and keeps the proportions true to the original file.
Each order starts with a few intake questions (brand colors, which configuration, what the buyer should notice first). After that, the asset moves through review and gets published. If IP exposure is a concern, read how to turn CAD files into interactive web 3D without risking your IP.
How is Web AR different from interactive 3D, hotspots, and video?
Web AR answers "where does it fit and how big is it." The other deliverables answer "how does it work" and "why should I care."
| Deliverable | What the buyer does | Best question it answers | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web AR | Places the model in their room through a phone | How big is it, and will it fit? | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Hotspots | Taps labeled points on the model | What does this part do? | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Interactive 3D | Spins, zooms, and explores on a screen | How is it built? | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Product video | Watches a short product story | Why does it matter? | 4 to 6 weeks |
Most industrial teams pair Web AR with at least one of the others. AR handles scale and placement, and video or hotspots handle the explanation. For a closer look at that second half, see interactive 3D vs video for B2B sales enablement.
How long does Web AR take, and what does it cost?
Web AR takes 3 to 4 weeks from intake to published asset. Your review rounds and how fast intake questions get answered decide where in that range it lands.
Web AR is produced through Mainstay One, a subscription that starts at $2,995 a month and cancels with 30 days notice. The pricing section lays out what each plan includes.
A team with a large catalog can start with 1 product series, test it in the field, and expand from there.
Where else does Web AR work besides the sales call?
Anywhere a link or QR code fits. That covers spec sheets, product pages, email signatures, proposal PDFs, dealer portals, and printed handouts.
A QR code on a printed handout gives the buyer a reason to pull out their phone back at the office. Because each asset lives at a link, the same model works in every one of those places.
Trade shows are the other big use, and they come with their own setup questions. The Web AR at a trade show booth guide walks through QR placement and booth logistics.
If you've got a machine your reps keep describing with their hands, bring us your CAD file.
Frequently asked questions
Does the buyer need to download an app to see Web AR?
No. Web AR opens in the phone's browser from a link or QR code. The buyer taps "View in AR," allows camera access, and the model appears in their space.
What do you need to send to get started?
A CAD file of the product. One file per product is enough to start, along with answers to a few intake questions.
What does Web AR cost?
Web AR is produced through Mainstay One, a subscription that starts at $2,995 a month. Plans cancel with 30 days notice.
Do sales reps need training to use Web AR?
Very little. The rep shares a link or shows a QR code, and the buyer's phone does the rest. A short run-through before the first field visit is usually enough.
Should Web AR be the only 3D asset a sales team has?
It works best paired with something that explains the machine. Web AR shows scale and fit, while hotspots, interactive 3D, or a short product video show how the machine works and why it's worth buying.
