A construction worker might use a wheelbarrow on one site and an excavator on another, depending on the scope of the job. Similarly, an office assistant may rely on spreadsheets for some tasks and turn to other applications for different responsibilities.
In both cases, choosing the right tool for the task is critical to getting the job done efficiently, and the same holds true for building projects.
3D laser scanners are commonly used in commercial and industrial building construction projects to help in design, construction, and engineering. This cutting-edge technology uses LiDAR (light detection and ranging) to quickly collect a large amount of data and produce point clouds, which are sets of data points in 3D space that represent the surface of scanned objects, enabling precise measurements of distances, angles, and elevations. Modern scanners typically capture up to two million points per second with millimeter-level accuracy, forming a precise and detailed digital rendering of the space in a short amount of time. This allows construction engineers to collect detailed site information, creating a permanent as-built record for building owners and managers. Using laser scanning for fast and accurate data collection boosts efficiency and productivity while promoting collaboration and eliminating rework.
The benefits of laser scan technology become obvious when working on modern warehouse and facility construction projects. These types of buildings typically require their concrete floors to meet precise flatness/levelness requirements to ensure their robotic systems move smoothly without costly disruptions. Even slight irregularities on the floor can cause robots to tilt, misalign, bump into each other and cause safety hazards. For example, floors in automated warehouses are typically tested against the ASTM E1155 standard with required flatness (FF) and levelness (FL) tolerances as tight as FF50/FL30. And a growing number of logistics facilities that use Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) and racking must adhere to the rigorous British TR34 standard, which also includes classifications by type of pavement.
Over the years, many different techniques have been used to capture and measure the floor for flatness/levelness, including placing straightedge levels to measure gaps and using floor profilers to measure elevation changes over short distances.
However, in recent years, 3D laser scanners have become increasingly popular for checking floor flatness/levelness. Instead of taking days to physically drag a wheeled instrument across the floor, 3D laser scanners can be set up to capture millions of data points about the entire floor and measure the floor in minutes. Although not suitable for every job, the use of 3D laser scanners can provide surveyors and consultants with the power, speed, adaptability, and accuracy they need to get the job done.
While scanning for floor flatness/levelness, the generated point cloud data also provides additional information about the space, allowing engineers and surveyors to:
3D laser scanning captures all spatial data in a single pass, allowing for on-demand analysis at any stage of the project and significantly improving efficiency and flexibility.
For example, if layout changes are made after the concrete floor has been tested, there's no need to return to the site for additional measurements or analysis. The contractor can change the starting point of the test and rerun it on the original point cloud data.
Our RoboFlat solution leverages the power of 3D laser scanners by analyzing point cloud data from any scanner manufacturer and delivering advanced visualizations that allow teams to easily remediate any floor issues. RoboFlat's cloud-based solution enables remote access to data and provides the scalability needed to rapidly process large volumes of data.
Laser scanning technology is improving every day, with scanners becoming even more accurate. 3D laser scanners along with RoboFlat is the way of the future. Try RoboFlat for free on your own data here: gobryx.com