GSA Nationwide Laser Scanning Services – Phase II Interviews Week of August 10, 2009

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GSA LogoTonight an email went out from Paris Marshall’s office stating the following:

“The General Services Administration (GSA) has completed its review of initial proposals submitted in response to the subject solicitation for the National 3D Laser Scanning Services project.   This is to advise you that your proposal was evaluated as being one of the most highly rated, and your firm has been selected for an interview in connection with this procurement.”

Short-listed firms will be interviewed the week of August 10, 2009. Still no word on the number of firms on the short-list. If anyone knows, please post here.

Leica Geosystems Announces the Release of Leica CloudWorx™ 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D

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Leica Geosystems Announces the Release of Leica CloudWorx™ 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D

(Heerbrugg, 21 July 2009) Leica Geosystems announces the immediate availability of Leica CloudWorx™ 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D. This powerful and easy-to-learn point cloud solution is designed for Intergraph SmartPlant 3D users who want to take full advantage of accurate, laser scan as-built data directly in SmartPlant 3D.

Leica CloudWorx™ 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D is the latest addition to the Leica CloudWorx suite of products that enable professionals to use rich, as-built point cloud data directly in their native desktop design and visualization platform. SmartPlant 3D is Intergraph’s next generation plant design platform.

Key features and capabilities of Leica CloudWorx™ 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D
– Measure – using SmartPlant 3D’s own measuring tools
– Automated clash checking – using SmartPlant 3D’s built-in clash management and reporting tools
– Pipe centerline routing tools and exact tie-point location tools – for finding face of flange at pipe center; supports creation of intelligent as-built models directly in SmartPlant 3D, using catalog components and objects
– Leica Geosystems’ unique Key Plan features – for visual fast navigation within point cloud project data
– Leica Geosystems’ unique TruSpace viewer – delivers improved comprehension of point cloud data and ease of driving exact viewpoints in the CAD system
– Easy point cloud management – by Scan, “Limit Box”, “Cutplane slices and sections”, and “Hide Region”
– Supports a variety of laser scanners – including native data formats from Leica Geosystems scanners, the industry’s most popular scanners
– CloudWorx toolbars – access CloudWorx operations easily, conveniently, and fast;
visualize a new design concept directly in context with reality

High Accuracy Plus High Performance
Leica CloudWorx for SmartPlant 3D is based on Leica Geosystems’ long proven database-centric Cyclone™ point cloud foundation, which allows users to simultaneously benefit from state-of-the-art spatial accuracy and high performance point cloud management.

Powerful Point Cloud Management & Measurement in SmartPlant 3D
Leica CloudWorx for SmartPlant 3D provides several ways to quickly, efficiently, and effectively manage vast amounts of point cloud data. User named and defined “Cutplane Slices and Half-Space Sections” and/or “Limit Boxes” provide a quick and easy way to navigate point cloud data. These selections can be recalled as needed on demand. The Key Plan and TruSpace viewpoint management tools provide unsurpassed ease-of-use and improved visual comprehension. Measurements are taken using familiar SmartPlant 3D measuring tools.

Automated Point Cloud Clash Detection and Reporting Using SmartPlant 3D
Clash detecting against point clouds with Leica CloudWorx is performed using SmartPlant 3D’s own automated clashing and reporting tools. Users can automatically detect clashes between modeled objects and point clouds, based on a user’s own defined tolerance settings. All interfering points within a user-defined region are visually highlighted and itemized.

Supports Multiple Scanner Formats
Leica CloudWorx for SmartPlant 3D lets Intergraph’s users take advantage of spatial scan data from any laser scanner via industry-standard ASCII-based data formats. In addition, Leica CloudWorx for SmartPlant 3D directly accepts, without any data format conversion, compact native data formats from the industry’s most popular scanners. These include all models of Leica Geosystems High-Definition Surveying™ (HDS™) time-of-flight and phase-based laser scanners, and selected scanners from other vendors. This capability to accept native formats from the industry’s most popular scanners provides users with even higher overall system efficiencies and simpler workflows.

Pricing & Availability
Leica CloudWorx 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D is immediately available from Leica Geosystems. Pricing information is available through appropriate Leica Geosystems representatives and dealers worldwide.

Leica Geosystems – when it has to be right
With close to 200 years of pioneering solutions to measure the world, Leica Geosystems products and services are trusted by professionals worldwide to help them capture, analyze, and present spatial information. Leica Geosystems is best known for its broad array of products that capture accurately, model quickly, analyze easily, and visualize and present spatial information.

Those who use Leica Geosystems products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the superior customer support. Based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Leica Geosystems is a global company with tens of thousands of customers supported by more than 3’500 employees in 28 countries and hundreds of partners located in more than 120 countries around the world. Leica Geosystems is part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden.

For further information please contact:

Leica Geosystems AG
Bill Wallace
Sr. Product Manager, Software

Tel (direct) 1-925-790-2356
Tel (central) 1-925-790-2300
Fax 1-925-790-2309
E-mail: bill.wallace@leica-geosystems.com

www.leica-geosystems.com/hds


Autodesk Announces Availability of Autodesk Navisworks 2010 with Point Cloud Operability

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SAN RAFAEL, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — WHAT:

Autodesk Navisworks 2010: – Autodesk, Inc. , a world leader in 2D and 3D design and engineering software, announced that it is shipping new releases of Autodesk Navisworks 2010 software for managing, simulating, and reviewing design and engineering projects in 3D. Autodesk Navisworks 2010 provides new capabilities that manage multi-disciplinary plant design and engineering workflows and enhance coordination across distributed teams. New plant-relevant features include:

Clash grouping and detection – Autodesk Navisworks combines precise faultfinding with hard, soft, clearance, and time-based clash management. Engineers can more quickly review and cross-check geometry created by most 3D authoring software; maintain a complete record of all clashes found throughout a project; check time and space coordination; and resolve site and workflow issues at the planning stage.

Multi-format support – Compatible with most major 3D design and laser scan formats, Autodesk Navisworks can combine 3D data from multiple formats, regardless of file size, into a comprehensive, dynamic information model, which can be shared with all stakeholders. Autodesk is committed to providing multi-format support and will work to provide compatibility with new file formats as they emerge.

Collaboration – Autodesk Navisworks enables design teams across engineering disciplines to view, annotate, expand, revise, and analyze one comprehensive information model for informed, timely decision-making. All project review files saved in Navisworks format are compressed, more secure, and streamable, and can be easily viewed with the free* Navisworks viewer.

In addition to these engineering design capabilities, Autodesk Navisworks 2010 will be compatible with the forthcoming AutoCAD Plant 3D product.

  CUSTOMER REFERENCES:

  Unison Engineering & Consultants GmbH, Germany

“Navisworks’ point- and line-based clash detection allow us to coordinate laser-scanned as-built environments with virtual models,” said Leandros Zeppos, managing director at Unison Engineering & Consultants, an independent engineering company, providing a wide spectrum of engineering services for the plant industry. “The easy visualization of 3D point-cloud models with the integration of 3D CAD models provides a powerful design review solution for any project. Engineering solutions can be easily analyzed against existing, accurate on-site data.”

Lenzing Technik GmbH, Austria

“Navisworks has simplified our job immensely,” said Gerd Bergner, an engineer at Lenzing Technik, a global industrial partner specializing in Engineering and Contracting, Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Services, and Automation and Mechatronics. “The planning and design processes needed for steel-erection and plant-engineering work can now be combined into a single model. As a result, the plant project can be reviewed, and those involved now have a much better feeling for the installation they are creating.”

MORE INFORMATION:

For more information and a free* trial version of Autodesk Navisworks software, please visit http://www.autodesk.com/navisworks-plant.

*These products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies each software product.

  CONTACT:
  Brett Smith
  brett.smith@autodesk.com
  (415) 547-2405

  Carey Godbee
  cgodbee@b3communications.com
  (760) 758-4406

  About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design and engineering software for the manufacturing, building and engineering, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art Digital Prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate, and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality, and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit http://www.autodesk.com/.

Occasionally, Autodesk makes statements regarding planned or future development efforts for our existing or new products and services. These statements are not intended to be a promise or guarantee of future delivery of products, services, or features but merely reflect our current plans, which may change. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect any change in circumstances, after the statements are made.

Autodesk, AutoCAD and Navisworks are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

Pointools Launches new Software: Pointools Edit

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Written by: Pointools

The challenges of managing and working with large point cloud datasets efficiently and maximising their value has been the primary concern of point cloud software specialists Pointools who have recently announced the availability of the eagerly-awaited flagship product Pointools Edit.

Key Features
Pointools Edit builds on the features of the successful Pointools View Pro, adding a new set of tools and enhancements in key areas without compromising performance. Like View Pro, Edit is also based on the Vortex point cloud engine designed to deliver productivity with huge datasets. Pointools say their focus with Edit has been to provide a post-registration toolkit that prepares point cloud data for production of deliverables reducing the overall project production time. Edit has been tested rigorously in production environments to ensure it delivers, even for most demanding projects.

Layers
Point layers are one of Edit’s most unique and powerful features. For example cleaning noise from an interior scan is made easier by moving the walls into another layer, allowing the user to focus on the interior. Once complete, the walls can be moved back to the original layer. Layers can also be locked effectively acting as a mask. Once a user grasps this methodology, editing that may have in the past taken many hours can now take minutes to complete with fewer commands needed.

Editing
In addition to the standard rectangle and polygon selection tools, Edit provides a 3d brush tool for easy selection of objects in complex environments. Selections are fast and utilise multiple CPU cores if available. When working with huge point datasets, density can be reduced for faster operation and on export the editing will automatically be reapplied to every point.

RGB Retouching
RGB values in point clouds can be re-touched using a colour matching and 3d brush with layers for masking and precise control. Photo editing filters such as brightness/contrast, hue/saturation can also be applied and the results saved to the point cloud file. Where the presentation of the point cloud data is important, this can fix mis-mapped obstructions or sky areas on scan data as well as scanner ‘circles’ not covered by photography.

For more information visit www.pointools.com

About Pointools
Pointools Ltd are a specialist software company producing a range of products for working with point cloud data. A UK company founded in 2003, Pointools products have thousands of users across the world. Pointools software accepts data from almost any laser scanner with many manufacturer’s native formats supported. Pointools Edit follows on from Pointools View Pro, Pointools Model for AutoCAD and Pointools4Rhino. Pointools products can be purchased from a network of resellers worldwide.

CyArk to Digitally Map Mount Rushmore National Memorial

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Officials have announced a project to digitally preserve Mount Rushmore National Memorial as part of an international project digitally preserving World Heritage Sites and monuments. Attending the announcement Friday were, from the left, Michael Russell, Scottish Culture Minister; Ben Kacyra of CyArk, a nonprofit organization, and; Gerard A. Baker, Mount Rushmore superintendent. NPS photo by Steve McEnroe.

Written by Kurt Repanshek

Digital mapping. This relatively new technology is a boon to archaeologists and preservationists. It’s already been employed at Mesa Verde National Park, and now plans are in the works to digitally map the focal point of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Mount Rushmore officials are partnering with CyArk – a U.S.-based non-profit organization that pioneered the digital preservation (3d laser scanning, modeling and archiving) ofWorld Heritage Sites and monuments, – and the Culture Minister of the Scottish Government. The partnership’s task is the 3D digital recording of Mount Rushmore. This project is expected to provide, for the first time, a visual documentation of this internationally important memorial in South Dakota.

“We have discussed a commitment to pursue a truly pioneering partnership with CyArk and through them, the Scottish Government, RESPEC Engineering, Wyss and Associates, and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, to take advantage of truly innovative opportunities in digitally recording, preserving and managing our historic resources,” explained Gerard Baker, the memorial’s superintendent.

“While Mount Rushmore is a national icon in the U.S., there is expertise in other countries which can assist us to preserve it in a modern context. Therefore, we have identified international partners with technical expertise and commitment who share our vision to expand Mount Rushmore’s and the National Park Service’s ability to offer more interactive interpretive, educational and research programs while enhancing our preservation and security capabilities.

“A partnership of the size allows us to celebrate our cultural heritage on a world-wide stage by recording one of America’s most important historical sites for the benefit of future generations.”

The partners are now seeking to complete an agreement to share other expertise, explore further international collaboration, and develop cultural connections between Scotland and the United States.

“Scotland has great expertise and a wealth of experience in preserving, understanding and researching its historic environment,” said Michael Russell, Scotland’s minister for culture. “We have embraced 3D scanning to increase our awareness and are now able to share our knowledge in digital documentation with countries and organizations on a world stage for everyone to enjoy.

“This is a first step in what I believe can be a successful long term international partnership.”

CyArk is the brainchild of Ben Kacyra, whose foundation seeks to digitally capture a lasting record of such World Heritage sites as Mesa Verde, Pompeii in Italy, Ancient Thebes in Egypt, Tikal in Guatemala, Chichen Itza in Mexico, and Angkor in Cambodia, to list but a few.

“It was exciting to meet Superintendent Baker and his staff last fall and to learn of his vision of digitally preserving this American Icon for future generations,” Mr. Kacyra said Friday during a press conference. “His further objective of making this invaluable data available to the public worldwide aligned with CyArk’s mission of dissemination through the CyArk website.

“We are indebted to Historic Scotland for their very generous donation of resources and technology to perform the 3D-laser documentation. This underscores the international importance of Mount Rushmore and Scotland’s world-class capabilities in this field. We are delighted to have Mount Rushmore and Historic Scotland as active partners in CyArk and to have the memorial as one of the first heritage sites to be included in the CyArk 500.”

The scanning project will be led by CyArk with technical and logistical support through Historic Scotland – Scotland’s heritage agency and its partner, Glasgow School of Art – which will work with the Park Service at Mount Rushmore and devise a scanning timetable. The project is expected to begin in late September and be completed in two weeks.

Local technical partners RESPEC Engineering, Wyss and Associates, and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will benefit from the partnership by developing capabilities from shared experience to sustain and further develop this unique method of digitally visualizing and understanding the memorial and other historic landmarks.

The Mount Rushmore scanning project would provide a three-dimensional, digital model capable of recreating sculpted surfaces with an accuracy of less than 1 centimeter. This 3-D model will be the focus of the comprehensive CyArk website for showcasing to the public the heritage and historic assets contained within the memorial boundary.

The value of the 3-D model provides realistic digital information of the site and has applications to provide innovative and interactive public interpretation, education, research and security programs. Regarding the partners’ mutual goals of preserving this site, in the event of an incident resulting in damage to the sculpture, the model would provide the data necessary to accurately replicate carved surfaces.

The digital model will also give the Park Service the ability to develop a very realistic interactive model for Mount Rushmore for education and interpretive use including potential “virtual tours” of the memorial, as well as the entire site; the 3D models of the sculpture and the site could be used to create 3D digital educational programs for grades K-12.

Mount Rushmore’s Hall of Records represents a “time capsule” displaying all phases of the carving process. The digital model will capture this information with millimeter-scale accuracy for posterity and provide a means to share this unique information, educationally and interpretively, with individuals not able to visit the site.

Too-cool technologies: Game Engine-quality Point Clouds and Digital Holography

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By Lieca N. Hohner, Chief Editor SparLLC

Our industry never comes short in the innovation department. HKS Inc., headquartered in Dallas, Texas, proves this—it’s turned “regular” point clouds into game-engine quality. Here’s the story. And then read on for some amazing display solutions.
HKS, Inc.’s Pat Carmichael, manager of the Advanced Technology Group, began investigating point cloud scans as a way to achieve high-quality as-built information for the company’s architectural geometry applications used for schematic design (most often Revit). The team realized many benefits using laser scan data, including the ability to obtain data not manually possible, draw while acquiring field data, gain highly accurate data comparable to total station data, and to collect immense amounts of data in rapid time. Point clouds are the bread and butter of rapid model acquisition, Carmichael said in his presentation at SPAR 2009.
HKS scan data captured from subcontractors’ scanners are used in HKS’ home-grown product called BIMMIT, an evolving spin-off product from their real-time game-engine product ARCHengine that has been in development for more than 10 years and that which enhances Revit models. BIMMIT is usually coupled with HKS’ proprietary ARCHengine for real-time display of the resulting 3D BIMMIT/Revit models, which can be between 8 million to 30 million polygons depending on their use on a laptop or desktop.
To illustrate the awesomeness of this melding, consider the W hotel in Dallas. The final model of the pre-constructed hotel designed by HKS was used to show city officials how the hotel’s sight lines would affect the downtown skyline so valued by the city. It was also used to sell out the associated condos prior to construction, as developers could take prospective buyers virtually up to their windows to show the views from their units. This same concept was used for the Ritz-Carlton twin towers in downtown Dallas; the presentation helped to pre-sell approximately 85% of the Phase One units in about six months—even in this down market, Carmichael said.
HKS used aerial lidar from the city to set elevations, some of which are photographically textured. HKS also flies with a RED ONE digital camera, which shoots in 4K resolution, whereby they extract high-resolution textures rapidly for application with the aerial lidar geometry. Most of the building models come out of Revit.
With these incredible design tools, HKS also performed a design review on the seating in the new American Airlines sports arena. HKS showed staff, team owners and other investors how seats would articulate and rise for a hockey or basketball arena and specifically how they would affect viewlines. On the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, HKS took the collected field scan data, structural data and drawing data—and all site views from all 89,000 seats, scoreboards, etc., into ARCHengine. To check the models during construction, HKS used a total station to get information from point to point. In the desktop models of the ARCHengine tools, everything is georeferenced with lat/long/elev, which gives the team dimensional data.
“It’s a serious design tool,” Carmichael said. “It’s a serious communication tool to the clients/users/vendors, all the other suppliers, and a bunch of other people participating in the design process.”
Carmichael says the next version of ARCHengine version 3 will tie individual objects to a reporting structure, in line with 4D business strategies that tie in time, space calculations and scheduling. He said HKS Advanced Technology Group is also working with Intel on the high-end multi-processors to be able to react more quickly to a cluster of cores for simulations.
Those involved in sports stadium, government, military or GSA work will be interested in HKS’ Advanced Technology Group solutions.
To see an interactive map of the seats in the new Dallas Stadium with panoramic images generated from ARCHengine, click tohttp://www.dallascowboys.com/tickets/newstadiumInteractiveMaps.cfm

Digital Imaging, Holographic Style

Zebra Imaging, Inc., provider of holographic display technologies, has taken visualization of LiDAR and laser scan data sets to a new level. Users in the geospatial, AEC, automotive, medical, oil & gas, military and other arenas can view a topographical data set in full parallax, full color and without any glasses or goggles. “Seeing LiDAR and laser scanned data volumetrically expands its utility and value,” said Michael Klug, Zebra’s CTO, at this year’s SPAR 2009. Government and commercial uses seem endless.
Zebra’s solution graduates a physical display to digital holography by reconstructing a 3D image in space using film-based displays and illumination. The 12-year-old company founded by graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab has cut its teeth by aiding the military and law enforcement with displays that assist planning and after-action efforts, situational awareness and training.
It’s pretty cool stuff—a far, FAR cry from the hologram stickers I collected as a little girl. Klug describes the process as being more like burning data to a disc rather than a printing process. From a pair of GeoTiffs (one being a DEM, the other a geotextured map), Zebra’s proprietary Imager burns the pattern into photopolymer film with intersecting laser beams and produces an A1-size (594 × 841 mm) monochrome hologram that can be produced in CAD, GIS, medical imaging, oil & gas, etc., formats in 1-millimeter hogel size—about a pixel. Process time is about three hours. An average A1-size monochrome (green) hologram costs about $2,500. Full color and replication is available, and Klug says high-speed development will be available by Q4. Klug claims Zebra’s solution is similar or lower cost compared to other market alternatives today, and that it is more transportable and usable with full solid parallax 3D.
Zebra has produced more than 6,000 LiDAR-based holographic displays for military use in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2006. The 2×2 ½-foot maps provide warfighters with a common communication tool to get a common operating picture of an area of interest without language or cultural obstacles. Klug said they’re easily transportable and durable and, later, shreddable.
Focus on AEC Market
In the last two years, the company has developed a new product line for the AEC realm. Attention focuses on geospatial context and all phases of design, BIM documentation, and communications and marketing.
Currently, Zebra is defining a styles guide and a CAD tool API plug-in-based interface available from a drop-down menu in Revit, 3DS Max and Google Sketchup (at first, then others). Klug says the creation of a wizard is a bit complicated for Zebra since they render with in-house tools to manage 64,000 to a quarter-million views of a scene within two hours. So, they’ve created a render-quality selection where the user can select a point cloud, a simple-shaded rendition of a data set, a textured data set or a photo-real selection (which customizes the job). Orders are returned in A-frame and horizontal format (each of which delivers different results) and include a lighting component.
The Creation of Dynamic Displays
In 2004, Zebra was sponsored by DARPA to create a program for dynamic 3D displays for interactive graphic-intensive applications.  The dynamic displays would be easy to view, have 360-degree visibility, be electronically updated in real-time, be modular and scalable to 6×6 feet, and offer horizontal, vertical and inclined orientations. To date, they’ve established a 1-meter diagonal prototype modular display of 8-inch square tiles with an image volume that occupies about 1 foot of space. It directly plugs into OpenGL-based applications and updates at 10 Hz. Pilot production and beta phase of this display is expected next year. Klug said any rendering feature a user can see on a 2D screen can be produced in the hologram, including translucency, transparency, reflection, etc.

Uses for these displays include, but don’t appear to be limited to, spatial, project and industrial process planning, land development, event security logistics, emergency management, heritage preservation, forensics presentation and construction progress monitoring.

Hexagon Metrology Unveils Leica T-Scan TS50A Laser Scanner

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NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI, Jun 18, 2009 – Hexagon Metrology, Inc. announces the new Leica T-Scan TS50-A hand-held laser scanner, which interfaces with the Leica Absolute Tracker. The new Leica T-Scan delivers improvements that result in a doubling of the data acquisition rate, a fifty percent improvement in scanned point density, and scanner accuracy improved by a third. Together, these changes deliver 6DoF laser scanning performance that makes contact-free measuring faster, more accurate, and more efficient.

The core of the product improvements lie with the unit’s laser and optics system, which result not only in greater scanner accuracy, but also improved data quality, with a reduction in system noise, and an improved ability to scan all types of surfaces, particularly ones that are shiny or dark, under all lighting conditions. The scanner is capable of self-adjustment to lighting conditions, independent of the operator. Combined with the Leica Absolute Tracker system, the new T-Scan has improved system specifications of up to 25%.

“The TS50A is the third generation T-Scan unit, and offers great improvements with absolutely no compromises,” said David Armstrong, product manager, portable products for Hexagon Metrology, Inc. “The increased sampling speed will be of particular interest for the T-Scan’s core applications of digitizing and inspecting very large objects, such as aircraft or portions of aircraft, and the large blades for wind turbines. With usable scanning volumes of 59 feet (medium range system) or 98 feet (long range system) from the base unit, it really is an unbeatable solution for large volume 3D scanning.”

Ergonomic handling, robust design for shop floor and even outdoor environments, and improved accuracy specifications make the T-Scan TS50 scanner an ideal solution for automotive, aerospace, wind power, shipbuilding, defense and heavy equipment applications. The T-Scan TS50a is available for immediate shipment with Leica Absolute Trackers.

About Leica Geosystems Metrology Products

Whether building the fastest car, the biggest plane, or the most precise tooling, you need exact measurements to improve quality and productivity. So when it has to be right, professionals trust Leica Geosystems Metrology to help collect, analyze, and present 3-dimensional (3D) data for industrial measurement. Leica Geosystems Metrology is best known for its broad array of control and industrial measurement products including laser trackers, Local Positioning Technology (LPT) based systems, hand-held scanners, 3D software and high-precision total stations. Those who use Leica Geosystems Metrology products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the world-class service and support that is second to none. Precision, reliability and service from Leica Geosystems Metrology.

About Hexagon Metrology

Hexagon Metrology serves the high precision measurement and inspection needs of worldwide manufacturers with its extensive line of metrology hardware, software, accessories, and customer services. The company’s name-brand portfolio of quality assurance products include Brown & Sharpe, CogniTens, Leica Geosystems, ROMER, Sheffield, PC-DMIS, DEA, Leitz, m&h, and TESA. Hexagon Metrology has an unrivaled installed base of more than 1.5 million handheld, stationary and portable measurement devices, and over 30,000 seats of PC-DMIS metrology software.

For more information, visit www.hexagonmetrology.us

Spar Point Research Announces Plans For SPAR 2010 (The Woodlands, TX)

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Written by Vector1Media
Monday, 15 June 2009

Spar Point Research announced today preliminary plans for SPAR 2010, its seventh annual conference on advanced dimensional control work processes and 3D laser scanning technologies for design, construction and manufacturing.

SPAR 2010 will be held Feb. 8-10, 2010 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in The Woodlands (Houston), Texas. Further details will be announced soon.

The conference features presentations, workshops and technical seminars on the business and technology of capturing, managing and integrating 3D information. Spar presenters are some of the most experienced professionals from the world’s largest petroleum and petrochemical producers, manufacturing companies, civil and transportation infrastructure engineering firms, industrial metrologists, geotechnical and mining firms, land surveyors, and federal, state and local governments.
Spar Point welcomes presentation abstracts from process and power, civil infrastructure and transportation, and discrete manufacturing facility owners and contractors on their use of laser scanning and other dimensional control technologies to capture and document existing-conditions data for design, construction and operations. Presentations will ideally include metrics identifying the impact of 3D imaging technology on outcomes, such as maintaining or reducing critical path time, achieving cost savings, enabling safety and productivity gains, or other measures. Presentations that address the issues of best practices for contracting, professional development and liability management are also invited.

Proposals must be original and not previously presented at other conferences. Proposals can be forwarded toLinda.McLaughlin@sparllc.com. Questions should be directed to Spar Point’s CEO Tom Greaves atTom.Greaves@sparllc.com or 978-774-1102.

Quantapoint Announces Integration of Laser Scan Data Into Intergraph SmartPlant 3D(TM)

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PITTSBURGH, PA — 06/15/09 — Quantapoint (http://www.quantapoint.com) — provider of laser scanning technology and services that help companies achieve Zero-Defect Projects™ — today announced that Quantapoint Laser Models™ may be accessed directly in Intergraph SmartPlant 3D using QuantaCAD 9.0. QuantaCAD enables 3D laser scan data to be accessed as high-definition Quantapoint Laser Models™ (not fuzzy “point clouds”) and photo-realistic Laser Images™ directly within design software.

QuantaCAD provides a number of useful capabilities to SmartPlant 3D users to enable them to compare and validate CAD models, visualize proposed modifications for design and constructability reviews, and identify and correct potential constructioninterferences. Some of the capabilities include:

-- Direct Integration: A separate "point server" is not required due to the smaller size of the Laser Models. -- State Manager: Store and recall the laser data state (loaded Laser Models, Laser Images and views) so users can quickly resume work instead of having to manually reload laser scan data. -- Tag Points: Create and edit tag points (specific 3D locations, such as tie points) directly in the laser data so users can access consistent design starting and ending points across the team. -- Clipping and Slicing: Clip laser data to temporarily hide view obstructions or slice it to create a section of laser data. -- Demolition: Demolish areas of the facility being removed in the laser data to remove it from view. -- Flexible Licensing: Quantapoint software are now integrated and may be licensed monthly for standalone or network usage, providing more flexibility based on project or program needs.

By using QuantaCAD to put reality on the desktop and in design software, clients have typically been able to reduce remodeling time by 85% (by using Laser Models instead of CAD remodeling or as a basis to remodel), decrease design time by 60% (by accessing more complete and clear Laser Models and Laser Images for design) and cut rework from design clashes by 85% (by correcting clashes between the Laser Models and the new CAD design). If you are interested in finding out more about accessing laser data in SmartPlant 3D using QuantaCAD 9.0 or would like a demonstration, visit www.quantapoint.com/qp/contact or e-mail info@quantapoint.com.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1002516

Additional information, please contact:

James McGill
VP of Marketing
Quantapoint, Inc.
Telephone: 412-653-0100, x-200
E-mail: jmcgill@quantapoint.com

ClearEdge3D releases EdgeWise – Automatic Extraction of CAD Models from Point Clouds

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UPDATE: CLEAREDGE IS NOW OFFERING A 30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE ON EDGWISE SOFTWARE.

clearedge-logoAfter three (3) years of development, ClearEdge3D is excited to announce today, June 5, 2009, the general release of EdgeWiseTM.

EdgeWise is the only software application capable of automatically extracting clean, truly editable CAD models from ground-based laser scan data.  Using patent-pending computer vision algorithms, EdgeWise quickly and accurately extracts clean, rectilinear polygons (not just a simple mesh!) from surfaces within the point cloud.  This new technology dramatically cuts the time required to create accurate, as-built CAD models.  Additionally, it can automatically extract complex topographical surfaces (hills and valleys), while ignoring above-ground objects like cars, buildings, and vegetation.

Over the past six (6) months, we have partnered with scanning experts to beta-test EdgeWise, and here is what one of the early beta testers, Scott Cedarleaf with Provide Solutions, had to say:

“ClearEdge3D’s software immediately interested me.  When I saw what ClearEdge3D was capable of doing in seconds, it was unbelievable.  For our clients—no matter what the industry—it will cut down modeling time significantly.”

Prominent laser-scanning expert Tom Greaves, CEO of SPAR Point, stated the following regarding the EdgeWise technology:

“New tools to automate the post-processing of point cloud data into 3D deliverables unlock the economic value of laser scanning for building, infrastructure and industrial plant applications.  Our industry depends on the entrepreneurial enthusiasm and technical innovation of companies like ClearEdge3D.”

If you haven’t recently visited us at www.clearedge3d.com, make sure to check out the new information that includes pricing and purchase details.  We also will be hosting a series of webinar demonstrations in the coming weeks.  The schedule and registration links will be available on our website.

With the dramatic time savings from using EdgeWise, we expect most companies to realize their return on investment within a few weeks of use.  We are looking forward to helping you streamline your business by automating your modeling process!