Leica Geosystems Cyclone

Leica Geosystems Announces Major Advances in Cyclone 8.0 Software

Leica Geosystems Announces Cyclone 8.0 Software – Major Advances for “Point Cloud” Office Productivity, Spatial Data Connectivity, and Customization

(Heerbrugg/Switzerland and Hanover/Germany, 9 October 2012) – Leica Geosystems announces the next major release of its flagship software, Leica Cyclone 8.0. In addition to providing further improvements in office productivity for processing as-built laser scan data, Cyclone 8.0 gives users powerful, new capabilities. Users can now directly connect point cloud data with other spatial data sources (such as 3D models) and readily share and re-use modeled data. Leica Cyclone 8.0 is being introduced at Intergeo as supporting software for the new Leica ScanStation P20 ultra-high speed laser scanner.

Office Productivity Gains

Cyclone 8.0 features several enhancements that increase office productivity, often significantly:

[listdot]

  • 20 – 50% faster scan data import
  • Automatic conversion on import to Enhanced Working Format, for faster data processing
  • Automatic creation of all pipe cylinders, with a single click, for an entire project or for a selected set of scan data, even during import
  • Automatic creation of TruView Hotlinks, linking scan points in panoramic TruViews to asset information
  • Easy saving and re-use of complex models created from geometric primitives
  • New “scripting” capability speeds repetitive or customized sequences of model building
  • Fewer clicks and a modern CAD-like interface for popular “Move” and “Rotate” commands[/listdot]

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ClearEdge3D Valve-flange

ClearEdge3D Releases EdgeWise Plant™ 4.0


Now offers full, end-to-end 3D modeling solution with 9 new features and enhancements including valve/flange placement, demolition tool, custom spec editor, high-definition visualization and more

 

Herndon, Virginia — December 12, 2012 — ClearEdge3D today released EdgeWise Plant™ 4.0, with 9 major new features and enhancements that create the fastest end-to-end pipe modeling solution on the market. The software automates the 3D modeling of complex process plant facilities, cutting up to 85% of labor from the modeling workflow.

Robert Greenhalgh with Ramboll Oil & Gas used the software on a recent North Sea offshore project. “We reduced our 3D modeling time substantially with EdgeWise Plant 4.0,” said Greenhalgh. ”Building standard pipe fittings on top of the powerful automated tools makes 4.0 the complete pipe modeling package.”

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Staples Easy 3D Printing

Staples to offer full-color ‘Easy 3D’ printing service

FRANKFURT, Germany, November 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —

Full color and low cost make 3D printing accessible to everyone

In a giant step toward the reality of 3D printing for all, Mcor Technologies Ltd has struck a deal with Staples Printing Systems Division to launch a new 3D printing service called “Staples Easy 3D,” online via the Staples Office Centre.

Staples’ Easy 3D will offer consumers, product designers, architects, healthcare professionals, educators, students and others low-cost, brilliantly coloured, photo-realistic 3D printed products from Staples stores. Customers will simply upload electronic files to the Staples Office Centre and pick up the models in their nearby Staples stores, or have them shipped to their address. Staples will produce the models with the Mcor IRIS, a 3D printer with the highest colour capability in the industry and lowest operating cost of any commercial-class 3D printer.

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Hexagon 3D Laser Scanning

Hexagon Introduces Game-changing Solution for Owner Operators

Stockholm, Sweden, 12 November 2012

Leica TruView Integrator for SmartPlant® Enterprise Extends the Benefits of Laser Scanning to New Uses in Daily Plant Operations

Through collaboration between Intergraph® Process, Power & Marine and Leica Geosystems, Leica TruView Integrator for SmartPlant® Enterprise significantly improves the way engineering assets are maintained. The solution combines Intergraph’s trusted plant asset management software with Leica Geosystems’ intuitive object information software, extending the benefits of laser scanning from its traditional use of providing accurate as-built information for capital projects to important new uses in daily plant operations.

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Embracing Mobile 3D Laser Scanning

Source

“Technology is advancing so quickly that it’s slowly replacing the surveyor.” These concerns have been voiced over and over as LiDAR scanning becomes more accessible. The most recent advance in scanning is terrestrial mobile LiDAR scanning (TMLS). This technology collects survey-grade data at highway speeds and at traditional survey costs, and in the transportation discipline it is a safer means of data collection while reducing risk for the entire project. But it has surveyors questioning the longevity of their profession. What is seen as a threat because of efficiency must be embraced in order for surveying to survive. Land surveyors are increasingly missing out on surveying work because they are not advancing in current measurement technologies. Understanding and appropriately responding to non-traditional ways will significantly contribute to the success of the surveying profession and to the clients you serve.

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ClearEdge3D Launches EdgeWise MEP for Autodesk Revit


Automated Feature Extraction of pipes from point clouds now available for Revit—promises substantial workflow savings of up to 85%

Herndon, Virginia — September 5, 2012 — ClearEdge3D announced today the release of its latest product, EdgeWise MEP™ for Autodesk® Revit®. For the first time, users can bring extracted pipes, conduit and other cylindrical mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) elements directly into Revit. ClearEdge3D’s new MEP solution leverages the powerful feature extraction technology of EdgeWise to automatically extract pipe solids from laser scan point clouds.  These pipe solids can be automatically connected into pipe runs, annotated within EdgeWise MEP, and then brought directly into Revit as fully functional Revit pipe objects. All intelligence extracted by EdgeWise, such as diameter, length, elbow bend radius and more, is also transferred into Revit.

 

Beta testers of EdgeWise MEP for Revit reported modeling time savings of up to 85 percent over their previous workflows. “EdgeWise MEP for Revit greatly enhances the field-to-finish workflow.  It’s the innovation our BIM customers have been asking for,” said Chris Scotton, ClearEdge3D’s President and CEO. “Now users can combine the speed of EdgeWise Automated Feature Extraction with the power of Revit to produce Revit deliverables much faster than ever before.”

 

Working closely with the Autodesk Revit MEP product management team and a group of highly experienced Revit users, ClearEdge3D developed EdgeWise MEP for Revit to dramatically speed the process of modeling MEP as-builts.  “Modeling MEP for BIM has traditionally been a very tedious process,” Scotton continued. “EdgeWise MEP for Revittakes much of the manual modeling out of the workflow and instantly delivers the data straight into Revit as pipe objects, thus reducing  a project’s cost and schedule.  While the current release focuses on cylinder extraction, future releases will be able to automatically extract square ducting, cable trays and other planar objects.”Kelly Cone, Innovations Director at Beck Architecture, recently tested the beta release.  “Edgewise MEP for Revit is a huge step forward in our market. Tasks that used to take us days to complete can now be done in a few hours.” Another beta tester, Devon Kelley at Precision Point, Inc. recently completed a hospital MEP project using the new software. “I am beyond impressed.  I was able to simply highlight all the pipe objects and click the “convert to pipes” button. Revit automatically recognized the pipe size which was incredible. So far it has exceeded my expectations. “

 

To request a live demonstration of EdgeWise MEP for Revit click here: www.clearedge3d.com.

 

About ClearEdge3D

ClearEdge3D was founded in 2006 by two recognized experts and thought-leaders in the field of computer vision, Automated Feature Extraction, and LIDAR data analysis.  The company’s flagship products, EdgeWise Plant™, EdgeWise MEP™ for Revit and EdgeWise Building™, are used by top engineering firms world-wide to optimize their scan-to-model workflow. The company is privately-held and headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.

 

Autodesk and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and other countries.

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For more information, contact:

Janice Starrs

janice.starrs@clearedge3d.com

USA +1 410-991-0582

Rental companies returned to growth in 2011

Rent the latest LiDAR TechnologiesEuropean firms lag behind as world’s top 100 rental companies’ revenues grow by 13.3% in 2011  [source]

WORLDWIDE equipment rental revenues grew significantly in 2011 as contractors and other equipment users increased their reliance on rental suppliers, according to the latest IRN100 survey of the largest 100 equipment rental companies worldwide, published by KHL Group.

Rental companies in all regions reported revenue growth last year, although European firms lagged behind the rest.

Total rental-related revenues at the world’s top 100 rental companies grew by 13.3% last year, with revenues at the top 10 growing on average by 22.9%, after adjusting for currency changes. The full survey is published in the July-August issue of International Rental News (IRN).

North American rental companies in the list grew, on average, by 17% while European renters reported much more modest growth of 5.9%. US rental giant United Rentals top the list with UK-based power rental company Aggreko at number two.

The 2011 survey reflects wider trends in the global economy, with growth shifting to emerging markets and recovery in the US proving more robust than in Europe. Of the top 100 companies, 44 were from Europe, the lowest number since the survey was started in 2005 and the first time it has been below 50.

Emerging markets continue to increase their participation in the list, with Chinese and Middle East companies in the top 100 for the first time.

Capital expenditure on fleet was also up dramatically in 2011, with the top 25 spenders investing €5.7 billion, gross, in their fleets. This is more than double the €2.5 billion in 2010 and reflects high replacement investment by rental companies in the US, Japan and Australia.

Murray Pollok, the report’s author, said; ‘A mix of factors contributed to the growth in rental last year. Many of the biggest rental companies in North America and Europe saw rental revenues recover from depressed levels in 2009 and 2010, while in developing areas of the world rental companies are expanding rapidly as the rental concept catches on.

‘In addition, many rental firms believe that the current economic uncertainty, and difficulties in obtaining finance, are leading equipment users to source more of their equipment from rental suppliers. This trend is most evident in North America, where rental penetration rates are increasing.’

Kinect: Point Clouds and Face Tracking in AutoCAD

Originally posted by Greg Duncan at http://channel9.msdn.com/coding4fun/kinect/Kinect-to-AutoCAD-v15-and-some-AutoCAD-Face-Tracking-too

Today’s projects takes us back to AutoCAD, with an update to Kean’s last mentioned here, AutoCAD and the Kinect for v1, as well as using Face Tracking inside of AutoCAD…

Integrating Kinect with AutoCAD 2013

As promised in the last post, today we’re going to see the adjusted point cloud import workflow applied to the previously posted Kinect integration samples. This was also an opportunity to look at the improvements in version 1.5 of the Kinect for Windows SDK.

Here’s the updated set of samples for AutoCAD 2013 and the Microsoft Kinect SDK v1.5.

The main changes were related to the updated point cloud import workflow, but I also updated the code to allow the user to choose to enter “near mode” (by setting the KINNEAR system variable to 1), and to make sure the reduced set of 10 joints get displayed properly when jigging using either the KINSKEL or KINBOTH commands.

I also tested the British English language pack, and sure enough it did a a much better job of understanding my commands. I’ve left the samples defaulting to US English – just search for and replace “en-US” with “en-GB” (having installed the language pack, of course) to give it a try.

Project Information URL: http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/through_the_interface/2012/06/integrating-kinect-with-autocad-2013.html

Project Download URL: http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/files/KinectSamples-v1.5.zip

Face tracking inside AutoCAD using Kinect

After discovering, earlier in the week, that version 1.5 of the Kinect SDK provides the capability to get a 3D mesh of a tracked face, I couldn’t resist seeing how to bring that into AutoCAD (both inside a jig and as database-resident geometry).

I started by checking out the pretty-cool FaceTracking3D sample, which gives you a feel for how Kinect tracks faces, super-imposing an exaggerated, textured mesh on top of your usual face in a WPF dialog:

I decided to go for a more minimalist (which also happens to mean it’s simpler and with less scary results Smiley approach for the AutoCAD integration: just to generate a wireframe view during a jig by drawing a series of polygons…

image

… and then create some database-resident 3D faces once we’re done:

image

Project Information URL: http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/through_the_interface/2012/06/face-tracking-inside-autocad-using-kinect.html

Project Download URL: http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/files/KinectSamples-v1.5.1.zip

Project Source URL: http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/files/KinectSamples-v1.5.1.zip

Contact Information:

Mobile LiDAR Systems Dynascan Mobile Mapper

Mobile Scanners Enter the Rental Market

The Only Portable Mobile Mapping & GIS Data Collection Solution is now available for daily, weekly and monthly rental.

Measurement Devices Ltd (MDL)Mobile Surveying Systems or Mobile Mapping Systems, as they are becoming known, are not new. Several laser manufacturers have introduced and sold Mobile Mapping Systems over the last few years. The difference is that these systems (with one exception) are adaptations of tripod mounted (static) laser scanners. They are all large, very heavy, complicated and very, very expensive.

Measurement Devices Ltd. announces the world-wide availability of Dynascan equipment hire/rental giving even the smallest survey organizations the ability to add mobile mapping to its service offering, enabling them to undertake previously undreamed of ‘detailed 3D, large scale mapping projects’, formerly the domain of large companies or government organizations. Productivity of Laser Surveying Systems will no longer be measured in terms of “Points per Second” but in terms of “Square Miles per Hour” and available for the same cost-effective daily hire rate as static terrestrial 3D laser scanning systems (i.e. Leica Geosystems ScanStation C10, HDS6200, HDS7000).

Furthermore, MDL has assembled a global team of LiDAR industry experts to provide field and office support services and custom-tailored training on “real-world” workflows and procedures. Travis Reinke, Chief Operating Officer of Measurement Devices US, LLC stated, “By providing easy access to the latest technology and expertise, we are able to change the decision-making process. Project managers and the like now have the ability to integrate new technologies into their workflows without the huge risk of taking on large capital expenditures. We’re disrupting the market by introducing mobile mapping to the masses.”

MDL’s new business model of providing ‘complete measurement solutions’ gives greater support to customers with irregular or infrequent resource needs or project specific requirements. Reinke went on to add, “Our highly-skilled team of professionals are available to ensure that first-time users are successful on their first project. We accomplish this by offering a discounted bundled rate for an experienced technician and the mobile system when needed.”

MDL’s mission is:

  • To assist and enable more end-users in the real-world application of various rapid 3D data capture technology by providing easy access to a comprehensive range of equipment rental, consultancy and education.
  • To help end-users close the information gap between the Hardware/Software Vendors and the real world.
  • To empower and educate our client base in order to enhance industry growth and spawn further advancements.
  • To support customers with irregular or infrequent resource needs or project specific requirements.

With decades of combined experience gained from a real world application of laser measurement systems, MDL’s team of industry professionals has obtained a highly qualified and proven skill set focused on Quarry and Mining Surveying, Dynamic Land Surveying, High Definition Surveying, and Hydrographic Surveying.

Eliminate the Investment Risk

  • Rent equipment until you’re ready to buy – expense on per project basis.
  • Take advantage of knowledgeable experts with real world experience to support your project team.
  • Ramp up or down as needed to keep your capital expenditures minimal.
  • Rely upon our experience to provide you with practical user information and get more than just a demo.

The Dynascan ‘Plug and Play’ LIDAR system is a fully integrated high speed laser scanner, high accuracy GPS positioning system and Inertial Measurement Unit. The system is light weight, highly portable and may be used on land vehicles or marine vessels to acquire 3D survey quality data of topography, urban developments, industrial plants, including overhead utility cables, bridges, dams, harbors, beaches, rivers and canal banks, and much more.

By fully integrating all the sensors in one package, MDL has eliminated the need for field calibrations as all sensor offset measurements are fixed during the factory calibration process and pre-configured in the data acquisition software. The LIDAR system is shipped ready for operation and can be mobilized in a matter of minutes.

Dynascan system comes complete with data acquisition and post processing software suite which is compatible with all known brand multi-beam echo sounders, swathe sonar systems, positioning systems and Inertial Measurement Units. Data from all available sensors is synchronized, “Time Tagged” and Recorded. Post processed and raw data may be exported to most 3D data base and CAD software packages. Dynascan is highly affordable and represents an unrivalled ‘Price-Performance’ advantage, opening up the benefits of 3D LIDAR to numerous applications and market opportunities.