Tip #07 · Scan-to-Model
Register your scan stations before you leave site — not at the office.
Always push for 3D laser scanning on brownfield projects. The cost is a fraction of one field reroute caused by undocumented obstructions.
Cloud registration errors discovered back at the desk mean another site visit. Use a field tablet to do a quick sanity check on scan overlap and registration quality before you pack up. What takes five minutes on site takes five days to fix in the office — and another site visit to verify.
Why scanning wins
At every brownfield tie-in, perform ultrasonic wall thickness measurement on the existing pipe before finalizing the design. The scan tells you what is there. The UT tells you what condition it is in. You need both.
The takeaway: Laser scanning is the most powerful tool available to brownfield designers today. Push for it on every project. The resistance is always about cost. The argument is always the same: one reroute costs more than the entire scan campaign.
