Time is money in the manufacturing world. Industrial mechanical engineering upgrades need to be executed in the shortest possible window – but these upgrades are often being made in plants with complex existing systems, and no single source of accurate documentation. Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) scanning offers critical benefits to clients and engineers, translating rapidly to 3D models that make projects more efficient and minimize conflicts in the field.

LiDAR saves time and brings project online faster

Often, industrial and manufacturing clients don’t have thorough existing documentation of their plant. LIDAR scans can be used to quickly and accurately document the existing conditions of a plant – typically taking two to three days to complete compared to weeks when using traditional surveying. The scans are accurate to 1/8th of an inch, which is more reliable than traditional surveying. A team often takes a 3D scan and creates a full 3D model, general arrangements, and elevation drawings. These tools give the team every piece of data we need to design the new system without having to go on site every few days to verify where things are located. It all comes down to better accuracy and less time, which makes the design and construction process faster.

Upfront investments delivers future cost savings

In addition to reducing costs for a team to complete traditional surveying, 3D LIDAR scanning pays for itself by making future design projects less expensive, faster, and easier to coordinate. It offers a more comprehensive view of whatever area of the plant is scanned, allowing future projects to take place without additional scanning and minimal field verification. As new systems are designed within the model and drawing files, the documentation remains current and accurate for long-term use.

It minimizes field conflicts

When it comes to construction, avoiding conflicts in the field that result in change orders and delays is critical. The accuracy of the scans in documenting existing conditions is instrumental in this effort. I have been part of multiple projects now where I’ve modeled new additions and then evaluated them in the scan to identify coordination issues. The ability to transpose new designs into the existing plant conditions defined by the scan allows people to avoid generating designs that conflict with the existing operations. Finding conflicts in design reduces the likelihood of a future change order for the client.

3D LIDAR scanning makes it possible for our team to measure anything in the files – pipe diameters, structure diameters, distances, etc. This is invaluable in the design process for new systems.

Without getting too granular, the scanning technology works by using light waves from a laser and calculating how long it takes for the light to hit an object or surface and reflect back to the scanner. Distances are then calculated using the velocity of light. Depending on the sensor used, LiDAR can fire hundreds of thousands of pulses per second, and each of these measurements can be processed into a 3D visualization known as a “point cloud.” Personally, I have been part of 10 projects in which we used 3D scanning, and I see its use only growing as clients realize its benefits.

This article originally appeared on Clark Nexsen’s website. Clark Nexsen is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

Original content can be found at www.clarknexsen.com.

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