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Hi this is Eugene A. O’Day, IX, an application Specialist with Ideate, Inc.
Did you know that 3D laser scanning is as much about precise measurement as it is about stunning visualization? Are you intrigued with the concept of Scan-to-BIM? Wait I might be getting ahead of myself. Are you unfamiliar with the terms; 3D laser scanning, LiDAR, and point clouds? If you are, then this blog might interest you. Today’s blog will focus on the very basic of scanning terms and the different types of 3D laser scanners.
Scanning Terms 101
3D Scanners:
Devices that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance i.e. color. The purpose of a 3D scanner is usually to create a point cloud of geometric samples on the surface of the subject. The collected data can then be used to construct digital, three dimensional models.
3D Object Scanning:
Allows enhancing the design process, speeds up and reduces data collection errors, saves time and money, and thus makes it an attractive alternative to traditional data collection techniques such as tap measure with pencil and paper. 3D scanning is also used for mobile mapping, surveying, scanning of buildings and building interiors, and in archaeology.
LiDAR:
Is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analyzing the reflected light. The term LiDAR comes from combining the words light and radar.
Point Cloud:
A large group of 3D points that spatially represent the environment around the laser scanner.
Types of Scanners
There a handful of different types of scanners on the market; each type comes with its own limitations, advantages and costs.
Airborne:
Airborne laser scanning is a scanning technique for a data capture of the earth surface. It’s an important data source for environmental applications, being able to map topographic height, and the height of surface objects, to high vertical and horizontal accuracy over large areas.
Ideal Usage:
• Exterior mapping
• Corridor
• Large scale mapping
Accuracy and Range:
• Accuracy +/- 10 CM Depending on conditions.
• Range 3.000 feet (typically flown at about 3,000 FT).
Mobile:
Mobile mapping is a non-invasive, state-of-the-art solution that incorporates the most advanced ground-based LiDAR sensors, cameras, and an inertial measuring unit to collect survey-quality point data quickly and accurately.
Ideal Usage:
• Rapid exterior mapping for corridors w/imaging.
• Mapping, Asset Management, Utilities, Planning,
Disaster Management, Tunnel, FAA airport design and layout.
Accuracy and Range (Topcon IPS-2)
• Accuracy +/- 3 to 5 CM Depending on conditions.
• Range 30 to 100 meters depending on conditions.
Think Google maps
Phased Based:Constant waves of varying length are projected. Upon contact with an object, they are reflected back to the scanner. The distance from the scanner to the object is accurately measured by measuring the phase shifts in the waves of infrared light.
Ideal Usage:
• Exterior high accuracy longer range scans
• (Architectural Reconstruction, Surveying, Engineering, Planning, Forensics).
Accuracy and Range (Topcon GLS-1500)
• Accuracy +/-2MM
• Range 150 to 330 meters depending on conditions.
Time of Flight:
An active scanner that uses laser light to probe the subject(s). At the meat and potatoes of this type of scanner is a time-of-flight “laser rangefinder”. The laser rangefinder finds the distance of a surface by timing the round-trip time of a pulse of light. A laser is used to emit a pulse of light and the amount of time before the reflected light is seen by a detector, is measured.
Ideal Usage:
• Interior high density high accuracy scans (MEP, Architectural, Structural, Facilities Management, and Forensics).
Accuracy and Range (FARO Focus3D)
• Accuracy +/-2MM
• Range 60 to 120 meters depending on conditions.
Stay tune for more Scanning definitions…
Eugene . O’Day, IX
AEC Application Specialist
Eugene A. O’Day, IX, with more than 25 years of architectural and mechanical experience, offers a trained focus on all things Revit and BIM. Teaching is a passion of his. Eugene has been an instructor in undergraduate degree programs, has traveled worldwide teaching Autodesk solutions to major corporations, has taught at accredited ATCs throughout the Northwestern region, and is a frequent and popular instructor, speaker, and presenter for AUGI® CAD Camps, Revit – and related product user groups. He has also been a trusted public school district advisor on new drafting instructor hires. At Ideate, Eugene provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure and AutoCAD. Eugene is also a Revit Architecture Autodesk Certified Professional.
Get it. Know it. Use it.
In Part 1 of our ReCap posts, we discussed how this new application processes and combines laser scan files into a ReCap Project. Now we’re looking at some of the Key Features available once the projects are launched.
Along with standard navigational tools like pan, zoom, orbit, look, and fly-through, ReCap also has the capability of editing point cloud data; something that has not been a part of Autodesk software in the past.
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| Selection Tools |
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| Annotation Tools |
The bottom-center of the screen includes annotation tools for notes, distances, angles and faces, as well as selection tools for editing. Window and Fence tools can be used to easily crop or delete selected sections of the point cloud, quickly removing unwanted data and reducing file size.
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| Display Tools |
The upper-left of the screen includes display options to control how the point cloud data appears in the application. The Project Navigator, Limit Box and Display Settings allow users to control which files from the dataset are displayed, how much of the data is displayed, point color, point size, background data, and lighting and shading effects.
With functionality similar to point cloud review and processing tools from Trimble and Leica, Autodesk customers now have access to a program that can process and edit point cloud data prior to being used in Autodesk design software like AutoCAD, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Revit, Navisworks and Autodesk InfraWorks. Best of all, it’s included in the 2014 Autodesk Design Suites and available now on Subscription Center.
For a video of Autodesk ReCap in action and other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new Autodesk 2014 releases, visit: ideateinc.com/2014
Ideate Note: If you are experiencing a Fatal Error issue when trying to launch a ReCap project this is most likely based on system hardware rather than an issue with the application. For more information about this issue and Ideate’s solution, read our recent blog post titled: Help! Autodesk ReCap is Crashing.
Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE
Get it. Know it. Use it.
Here at Ideate, we try to take advantage of all opportunities to test and work with any new Autodesk product that might be useful to our customers. This year, Autodesk released a new point cloud processing application called Autodesk ReCap.
With functionality similar to point cloud review and processing tools from Trimble and Leica, Autodesk customers now have access to a program that can process and edit point cloud data prior to being used in Autodesk design software like AutoCad, AutoCad Civil 3D, Revit and Autodesk InfraWorks. And best of all, it’s included in the 2014 Autodesk Design Suites.
This is a great opportunity for end users to now review and process large lidar datasets in an application made specifically for that task, without having to purchase additional software. Additionally, Autodesk ReCap (.RCP) projects and (.RCS) files can be directly imported into 2014 Autodesk applications.
Autodesk ReCap includes a processing engine that allows users to select multiple data files at once, and produces a single (.RCP) Project file that links back to the processed data. Each original data file becomes a (.RCS) file that is part of the project. Process time is dependent on the size and amount of files selected, and during our testing a 1.5 GB dataset with eight original files took about an hour to complete. A convenient timer also provides an estimate on how long each file and the entire project will take to process.
Once processed, the ReCap project can be launched directly, and the composite point cloud appears in the application. Here’s a screenshot of the completed point cloud in ReCap (file provided by Surface and Edge 3D Laser Scanning).
For a video of Autodesk ReCap in action and other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new Autodesk 2014 releases, visit: ideateinc.com/2014
Ideate Note: If you are experiencing a Fatal Error issue when trying to launch a ReCap project this is most likely based on system hardware rather than an issue with the application. For more information about this issue and Ideate’s solution, read our recent blog post titled: Help! Autodesk ReCap is Crashing.
Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE
Get it. Know it. Use it.
