Ayres Knowledge Center HD Scanning for Infrastructure | Page 2

HD SCANNING: THE BASICS
Facts
• Mass 360-degree data “point” collection.
• Up to 1 million survey measurements per
second.
• Measurements are nonintrusive and made from
a safe distance.
• When brought into computer software and
registered together, they are collectively
referred to as a “point cloud.”
• Often clouds are composed of over 100 million
points.
• Point density makes the cloud similar to a photo.
• Photographs are also taken during the scan to
provide color to the point data.
• If photos are not taken, the cloud would use
intensity for color.
Point Cloud Advantages
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Design in 3-D.
True as-built dimensions.
Clash detection.
Structural evaluation.
Wide range of software support, including Revit,
AutoCAD, Navisworks, PLS-CADD, MicroStation.
2 | SCANNING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
SUBSTATION POINT CLOUD
Land surveyors are trained
to collect data – millions
of points per setup – via
tripod-mounted HD
scanners. The surveyors
piece together the
overlapping scans, and
then technicians extract
the data and produce
CADD drawings and
various other deliverables
that are within 1/4 -inch
accuracy when scanned up
close and within about an
inch if scanned from 400
feet away.
Here are some of the many applications for HD
scanning:
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Transportation design.
Bridge and overhead obstruction clearance.
Substations and utility infrastructure.
Industrial facility maintenance.
Architectural components.
Change detection (load stress and settling).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance
checks regarding sidewalk ramp slopes.
• Analysis of discontinuities (such as confirming the
flatness of an old factory’s floors to determine
what imperfections might need to be corrected for
reuse as a hospital or production facility).
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