Extensibility of Point Cloud Data

This for me is one of the biggest unique selling points for 3D scan data… if managed correctly.

“Not just what you want from it now, but the sites future requirements”

All About Scanning

3D Laser Scanning has been around for nearly 20 years. It’s a line-of-sight surveying technique that captures everything within 360° of itself. This surveying method is an incredibly important and trusted method due to the level of data it can capture, the fact it can be validated against something, the data is a true recording of what is on-site and the survey can be reported against it.

Compared to conventional methods which require multiple surveyors over extensive periods of time to work on site, which increases safety risks as well as time for onsite staff to issue PPE, permits and admin. There is also potentially insufficient trained resources available and in addition, traditional methods are open to human error. After all, the data collected is only as good as the recorded data.

Extensibility of Point Cloud

Typical process documentation for any process site is either unreliable because it’s outdated history or invalidated. Even worse, it’s in an uncontrolled standard such as hand drawn, locked file formats or not up to the organisation’s global standard.

Documentation for process sites is absolutely essential for operations, as it helps meet statutory regulations, evidences compliance, helps enhance operational performance and reduces time and cost for team collaboration.

By using laser scan data, if the data supplied is firstly collected responsibly and secondly the data is made accessible, organisation’s possess a lot of information that can be used for a broad range of projects, operations, inspections, and maintenance requirements.

The best way for me to explain the extensibility of point cloud is to show by an example:

Case Study

A UK client bought a terminal in a neighbouring European country, but the site was handed over with very little site/asset information. A3D proposed a 3D laser scan of the entire site, which consisted of:

• 75,000 m2
• 30 Storage Tanks
• 9 Road Loading Bays
• Additives and Vapour Recovery Area
• 2 Pump Slabs

The Survey was completed in 4 days!

We went through the usual process of registering and processing the 3D scan data. You can read about how we do it here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/planning-large-scan-projects-lewis-boxer/

From this single source of survey data, we were able to produce 9 deliverables across multiple projects for different departments, representing huge value for money/added value as several different departments benefited within the organization.

1.      Autodesk Plant 3D Model

a.      Customised around client sites’ piping specs

2.      Autodesk Smart P&IDs

a.      Tailored to the company’s nomenclature, symbology, and borders

3.      General Arrangement Drawings (GA’s)

a.      Top View Orthographics exported from the 3D Model

4.      API570 NDT Piping Isometrics

a.      Another export from the 3D model, designed to meet client standards

5.      API653 Bund Volume Analysis

a.      Calculated from point cloud, subtracting deadwood

6.      Tank Analysis

a.      Radial Deflection, Vertical Alignment, Tank Tilt

7.      Tank Data Sheets

a.      2D Drawings depicting the tank shell and its repair plates

8.      Induction Video

a.      Point Cloud Video Flythroughs

9.      Asset Auditing Reports

a.      Exported reports from Model or P&IDs holding a range of extensive metadata

Our client continues to use the scan data through a virtual site tour system, which allows them to walk their site without the need to leave their office. This has proven efficiency and has reduced their requirement to physically access sites by up to 50% and has also increased collaboration between departments.

Thank you for your time