Laser Scanning Services
What is 3D Laser Scanning?
3D laser scanning provides a high level of accuracy to any project requiring field measurements or as-builts. A 3D laser scan uses a concentrated beam of light to digitally map the surface of any object. The laser sweeps the object to create millions of points called a "point cloud" which is used to extrapolate the object’s shape, location, and even color.
This is ideal for many project field information gathering needs, including (but not limited to) the following:
- Field Measurements
- Creating Accurate As-Built Drawings
- Site Layout and Modeling
- Reducing Interferences and Improving the accuracy of the existing connections
- Animated Walkthroughs
- Road Design and Mapping
- Excavation Measuring
Why 3D Laser Scanning
Laser scans give our engineers and designers a virtually endless number of node points that can be used in the 3D CAD model to dimension to or design against which helps facilitate constructability reviews and allows for a higher accuracy in locating new geometry and connecting tie-in points. Point Clouds have been crucial in Paul Ewart Hi-Tech Company completing projects without field interferences with existing infrastructure.
Providing Point Clouds along with a host of other visual aids during the design phase is extremely helpful in streamlining project reviews with all project stakeholders and providing an even higher level of quality to our clients.
Our Laser Scanning deliverables include:
- Point Cloud set to plant coordinates
- Raw scan data (Optional)
- TruViews (Optional)
How Our Process Works
- Data Collection
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Our professionals visit the facility and post “targets” in various places of the scan area to provide reference points in which to “stitch” multiple scans together. The technician performs various 360o scans from multiple locations to capture all of the desired geometry as the laser scanner is a “line of sight” device and geometry can be hidden if in shadow of another object.
The laser scanner looks similar to a surveyors transit, so as a general rule we budget a minimum 20 minutes per scan for setup/leveling, scan and take down. The number of scans is determined by the amount of area to scan and the complexity of the geometry.
- Data Analysis
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Back in the office, the collected raw scan data is stitched together, converted to a point cloud, and moved to plant coordinates based on a plant benchmark identified during the scanning process. We utilize AutoDesk ReCap to clean up the point cloud, set intensity, and remove any unnecessary objects picked up by the scanner.
Point Cloud scans are typically large in file size with the entire Point Cloud being multiple gigabyte (GB) in size; requiring high CPU-processing, high RAM computers for the converting process.
- Data Presentation
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Our engineers/designers take the Point Cloud data and use it in various programs to facilitate a presentation format required by the project. Point Clouds can contain billions of node points and therefore density of the cloud will most often need adjusted to be usable. The design group utilizes AutoDesk Navisworks® to view the Point Cloud in conjunction with the working 3D models to verify x,y and z locations and perform clash detection. Presentation options can include:
- 3D CAD models
- 3D Walkthrough models
- Animated Walkthroughs
- Plan and Elevation view drawings
- As-Built Documentation
Contact Us
Are you in need of an engineering company to design a new piping system for your facility, or improve an existing one?