Rapid 3D Benefits

Scanning Explained

Traditionally, engineering scale plans have been compiled from point data collected through angle and distance measurements. The principle of the office scanner applied to the 'real world' not the 'paper world' represents the concept behind 3D scanning.

BENEFITS OF 3D SCAN DATA

1. Complete information for the area scanned. Typically a traditional survey takes an extracted view of all the information on a site and creates a generalised representation. Once scanned any information within the scan can be extracted at any time. This makes a scan a very unique reference source.
2. 3D Visualisation. Every scanned pixel has a geometrically correct 3D co-ordinate capable of importing into appropriate modelling and visualisation software.
3. Compatibility with standard CAD software - Autodesk & Microstation products. Once processed, scan data can be exported to either of these formats.

LIMITATIONS OF SCAN DATA

• Line of sight dependent - i.e. individual scans can’t see round corners (although the linking of scans can enable total 3D viewing of structures)
• View Traffic - a busy road junction scan will have considerable data 'noise' (streaks in the scan due to vehicles crossing the scan path)
• Time Frame - the scan is essentially a 'snapshot' in time, although there is the ability to merge scans of different time epochs to see change.