TheUltimateGuidetoScantoBIM: Everything
YouNeedtoKnow
Manyofushaveencounteredtheterm"ScantoBIM"intheworldofconstruction.Scan toBIMreferstoaBuildingInformationModelcreatedfroma3DScan.Theprocessis notascomplicatedasitseems.Let'slookintoit.
LaserscanningisamethodusedbytheAECindustrytodeterminecurrentconditions andplanfutureprojects.Thiswasoriginallydoneinthe1990s.Laserscanningisfast becomingastandardpracticeforLaserScanningCompanies,Surveyors,Property Owners,Architects,MEPEngineers,GeneralContractors,ConstructionManagement Companies,andGeneralContractors,fortheirRenovation,Retrofit,Retrofit,or ConstructionProjects.
We'llexplainhowthe Scan to BIM Modeling processesworksanditsapplicationinthis technology-drivenfield.
What is Point Cloud / Scan to BIM?
ScantoBIMisessentiallyaprocessthatcreatesadigitalrepresentationofthebuilding's existingconditions,alongwithitsfunctionalandphysicalcharacteristics.Tocapturea 3Dscan,alaserscannerisused.Thescanisthenimportedintoa3DBIMprogram (AutodeskRevitorGraphiSOFTArchiCADorVectorworks).Itcanbeusedtocreate exactas-builtmodelsortomatchreal-worldconditionstothedesign.
How Does Scan to BIM Process Work?
Thewhole Scan to BIM Process canbebrokenintofourstages:
1.Identificationofinformationrequirements
2.Scanplanning
3.Scanning
4.3Dmodelling
We'llbelookingattheScantoBIMprocessingreaterdetail.
Scan to BIM Workflow Framework
1. Identification of Information Requirements
BeforewecanbegintheprocessofscanningtoBIM,youneedtoknowalldetailsabout thedesiredmodel/drawings.Itiscrucialtoidentifythemodel'slevelofdetail.Ahigher modelingaccuracywillincreasethereliabilityandusabilityoftheBIM.However,the moredetailedyourmodelis,themoreexpensiveitwillbe.Thismeansthatdatadensity mustbebalancedagainstcost.Thisstageidentifiesthefollowinginformation.
Requiredbuildingelements
RequiredLevelofDetail(LOD)
Requirednon-geometricattributes
2. Scan Planning
Scanplanninginvolvessettingparametersbefore3Dscanning.Itisvitalbecauseitis hardtofinddocumentationforbuildings.Optimizationofscanningparametersisagood idea.Italsoincludesidentifyingalloftheattributesrequiredforscanning.Herearea fewtypesofparameters:
Accuracy
SpaceResolution
Coverage
Otherattributessuchaslocation,angleresolution,etc.
3. Capturing Reality with Scanning
Withthehelpofa3DLaserscanner,youcanscantoBIM.Thisscannercollectsdataat highspeedandprecision.Thedeviceisequippedwithaneye-safelaser,whichrotates athigh-speed.Itistypicallyplacedonatripod.Whenthelaserbeamhitsanysurface,it isrecordedascoordinates,knownas"points".Eachpointisthenmappedtogether, creatingahighlyprecisedigitalpicture.Onceallthepointshavebeengatheredthe scannerwillcolorizethedatatocreatea3Dmodelofthesite,knownaspointcloud scanning.
The3Dscannercancaptureboththeexterioraswellastheinteriorstructure.Revit softwareconvertsthescanneddataintoa3Dmodel.
Thescanningprocessmayalsobeperformedinotherwayssuchas
360-Degree Scans
Times-of-Flight Scans - Theymeasurethedistancebetweenverticaland horizontalanglesforeveryposition.Thisensuresthatthescanner'sheadisin everygridpositionforeveryscan.
Phase-based Scans – Itistheonlydifferencethatthescannermeasuresphase shiftsofthereturninglaserenergiestocalculatedistances.
4. 3D Modeling – As-Built, Ready to Go for the New Building
TheconversionofPointCloudScansintoa 3D BIM Model withtheas-builtcondition forthebuildingisthefinalstageoftheScanToBIMprocess.Thisprocesscanbebroken intotwocomponents:
The Point Cloud data can be decoded
Thisiswherethepointcloudscansareusedtoimportthebuildingsystemsinto scanningsoftware,suchasAutodeskRecap.BIMmodelersextractphysicaland functionalinformationfromeachofthebuildingsystems.Thepointcloudscanhas multipleviewingpointsthatprovideanoverallviewofthestructure.Thisensuresthe accuracyoftherepresentation.
3D modeling
Itallowsyoutoillustratethescanwiththeexactbuildingconditions.Youcanusethis informationlateronforanypurpose,includingremodeling,redesigning,orrenovating anysectionofthebuilding.ThefinalstageofScantoBIMwillproducethedesiredAsbuiltmodel.Thisincludesallnecessarybuildingsystemdetails.
Varied Applications of Scan to BIM
ApplyingaScantoBIMtocaptureactualas-builtconditionstoabuildingisthepurpose. BIMcanbeusedtoserveknowledgerepository,whichcoordinatesthebuilding facilitiesthroughtheirentirelifecycle.Let'stalkabouthowScantoBIMcanbenefit differentstagesofconstructionprojects.
1. Design
Duringthedesignphase,theBIMmodelas-builtoftheconstructionsiteterrainandthe surroundingstructuresandenvironmentallowsthedesignersbetterunderstandthe siteconditionsandtomakebetterdesigndecisions.
2. Construction
BIMoftenreferstoalltheconstruction-relatedactivitiesthataretakingplace.Ithelpsto distinguishbetweentheBIMmodelthatiscurrentlybeingbuiltandtheonethatwas designed.Thetolerancevaluesarethenusedtocomparethemodels.Differentaspects areinvolvedintheconstructionphase.
Virtual Installation: AscantoBIMcanmakevirtualinstallationsandassemblies possiblebyusingexactas-builtBIMmodelconstructions.Youcanusescan-to BIMtosimulatetheassemblyandinstallationprocessinavirtualsetting.This willallowyoutospotanypotentialproblemsbeforetheactualinstallation.
Security Management: ScanToBIMModelhasthepotentialforimproving constructionsafetymanagement.Themodelidentifiesallhazardsandsuggests waystoimprovesafety.
Digital Reproduction: WithscantoBIM,thousandsofdrawingscanbereplaced bya3Dmodel.Itallowsyoutoviewandmodifythedesign.
HTMLQA/QC: Allprefabricatedpartsthatareusedforqualityassurance/quality controlarecoveredbytheBIMmodel.
3. Facility Management (FM)
Documentation: ScantoBIMisatoolthatallowsforthecreationof documentation.Scan-to-BIMismostusefulinthisphaseforthedocumentation ofcomplexgeometryandtextures.
Building Performance Analysis: Includesfunctionssuchasperformance analysis,accessibilitydiagnosis,andstructuralanalysis.Buildingperformance analysiscanbeusedtoanalyzeandimprovethebuilding'senergyconsumption, accessibility,aswellasstructuralreliability.
ManyFMFunctionscanbeimprovedbysuperior3Dvisualization,richand organizedBIMinformationandsuperior3Dvisualization.
Benefits from Scan to BIM: Why You Should Invest in It?
SomeofthemainbenefitsofScantoBIMare:
Quality AnimagederivedusingScantoBIMcanbemorereliablethanadesign drawnfromthescan.
Saves Time: Itreducesvisitstothesites.Itallowscontractorstospendmore timewiththem,whichincreasestheirabilitytoplanandevaluateprojectrisks.
Minimum Errors Theseerrorsallowforquickerdecision-makingandproject modifications.
Sustainability: TheuseofBIMforallbuildingprocessesleadstogreater sustainability.
Saves Money: A3Dmodelisdefinitelyexpensive,butitcansaveyousignificant moneycomparedtotraditionalsurveys.
Common Data Environment ScanningtoBIMfacilitatestransparency.Italso fostersbettercommunicationandcollaboration.
Conclusion
Scan to BIM technology iswidelyusedtocaptureanddigitallycreaterepresentations ofsitesandspacesusing3Dlaserscanning.TheScantoBIMprocesshasfourphases. Thefirstiswherealltherequirementsareidentified.Then,constructiveplanningand scanningtakeplace.Afterthescanisacquired,itcanbeprocessedintoamodel.After thescaniscomplete,itcanbeconvertedtoa3Dmodel.Becauseitreducesthetimeand costofaproject,scantoBIMcanbeusedbyeveryoneintheconstructionsector.Itcan beusedtoviewreal-timechangesandvisualizethesite.Thisresultsingreater efficiency.