Category: Reality Capture

2022’s Top 3 Construction Technology Innovations

Construction Technology has slowly, but steadily, grown to become an industry mainstay. As costs increase and manpower decreases, the demand for efficient solutions and tools is higher than ever.

We have compiled 2022’s top 3 construction technology innovations that empower you to tackle industry-wide challenges with real solutions while working smarter, not harder.

Reality Capture Number 1 Reality Capture Services –

In the last several years 3D Laser Scanning has taken the construction industry by storm and revolutionized the way data is captured. In-Demand 3D Laser Scanners such as the Leica BLK360 and RTC360 have become popular options because of their ease of use, accuracy, and mobility. Contractors who have taken the 3D laser scanning leap report less rework and faster data capture.

Reality Capture Services take data capture to the next level – As in, off your plate entirely! A team of reality capture specialists arrive at your job site and conduct a 4-prong approach. The first step is scanning to collect the data using the right 3D laser scanner(s) for the job. Afterward, the data is extracted and a model is created using the client’s specifications. Then, the client receives a deliverable in their chosen format (Revit model, CAD drawing, etc). Lastly, is data storage. Large files can be difficult (and expensive) to store and maintain. However, hosting allows your project to remain secure on a collaborative platform that your entire team can access at any time.

Ready to give reality capture services a shot? Request a quote for your next project HERE.

2. BricscadBricsCAD –

CAD software was a groundbreaker that helped usher in construction technology. Until recently, there weren’t many software options available. As a result, a lot of firms and end-users have felt confined to frequent subscription fee hikes with no user-friendly alternatives in sight. That is until BricsCAD made its debut as the most cost-effective CAD software on the market!

BricsCAD features DWG compatibility allowing users to open and save DWG files directly. The user experience and workflow are incredibly similar to the leading CAD software competitor. Most users feel comfortable navigating the platform in only a few hours. If you choose to make the switch, your current menus, scripts, and LISP routines will run without any changes. The flexible pricing model allows you to choose between long-term licensing or monthly subscriptions. You can even combine both. Whatever works for you!

Come on – you know you’re curious and we don’t blame you! Sign up HERE for a free, no-obligation 30-day trial.

Rpg CompleteitRPG CompleteIT *powered by Avatara* –

RPG CompleteIT is a cloud-based managed network solution. IT costs can be wildly unpredictable i.e. a budget nightmare. This platform takes out the guesswork by fulfilling all of your IT needs at a per month/per user cost. Your firm will get reliable IT infrastructure, unlimited file storage, 24/7/365 expert support, disaster recovery, and much more. A cybersecurity breach can turn a promising year into a bad one instantly. RPG CompleteIT alleviates these worries with industry-standard compliance on the most secure cloud platform available.

DoD contractors – The clock is ticking on getting CMMC certified to maintain your contracts! Luckily, RPG CompleteIT can help you satisfy CMMC certification requirements in as little as 30 days.

Request an RPG CompleteIT demo today.

Contact RPG

If you have any questions about RPG’s solutions or services, feel free to send us a message at info@rpg.com or via the contact form. Would you rather speak with us directly? Call: (800) 521-6319.

Reality Capture Data: How RPG Captures, Processes, Manages & Delivers

Reality Capture Data

Reality Capture Data experts know that capturing data is just one step in the process. Processing, managing, and delivering data are part of the workflow. The processing and producing of CAD and other deliverables can sometimes be the most time-consuming parts, therefore RPG has invested in lidar scanning equipment and software. We created a rental program to provide clients access to hardware and software that best fits their projects needs, deliverables, and business model. Our fleet includes a number BLK360s, RTC360s and BLK3Ds, all of which we use in our reality capture services. Given these successes RPG has tailored solutions that reduce costs and saves time for our clients.

Project Specifications

Location

320 2nd Street, Laurel MD 20707

Area

10,041 Square Feet

1st Level of Garage

117 Setups & 15 billion Points

Equipment

1x Leica RTC360 Laser Scanner

1x Leica BLK360 Laser Scanner

Time Onsite

4 Days

Time Post-Processing

2 Days

Deliverables

LGS & RCP Point Cloud

Registration Report

2D Plan Set

REVIT model

Challenge

The challenges of scanning the historic building, which is RPG’s headquarters, went beyond the building itself. The office is located in a heavy traffic, highly congested area. RPG opted for capturing exterior conditions using the RTC360, given the scale of the building, its complexities, and the client’s timeframe and deliverables. We used a blend of the RTC360 and the BLK360 for capturing the interior. The deliverables requested by the client included standard 2D CAD information of floor plans, elevations, and a REVIT model.

Solution

The RPG team registered all scans using Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360. This allowed the team to split the registration into logical parts and combine them to generate a final master data set. The client required access to data for the project at any given time. To generate the deliverables, the team utilized Leica Cyclone Enterprise, a streamlined and centralized project platform to access data over internal and external networks. Using this simplified point cloud access the client could import and render full density point cloud data in real time within their preferred CAD application and share viewer files with other parties needing access to the project information.

Contact RPG

If you have any questions about RPG’s construction scanning services, feel free to send us a message at info@rpg.com or via the contact form. Rather speak on the phone? Call us at (800) 521-6319.

BLK360 vs. RTC360 White Paper

Take a comprehensive look at the BLK360 vs. RTC360.

Why scan? The short answer for why you should integrate 3D laser scanning into your workflow is simple: speed, accuracy, and consistency. 3D laser scanning enables a fast and accurate means of collecting millions of measurable data points in seconds to provide pinpoint accuracy, every time. The speed of 3D laser scanning will reduce the number of hours needed onsite. The accuracy reduces human error which prevents change orders and extra time onsite. All of this equates to more money in your pockets.

Scanning offers many benefits. Documents and current conditions are rarely accurate. Take a few scans onsite and you have current information at your fingertips. No more second guessing.

Now which scanner should you use? Both the BLK360 and the RTC360 are ‘the right tool for the job’. It just depends on what that job is. Schedule training or a demo with an RPG Reality Capture Specialist to see the scanners capabilities. No matter what we’re here to help and answer your questions. Contact us today.

Download the BLK360 vs. RTC360 White Paper to learn everything you need to know about the industry leading laser scanners.

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How Digital Twins Impact the Construction Industry

What is a Digital Twin?

A Digital Twin is an exact copy of a physical object or process in digital/virtual form. Creating a digital twin involves a collaborative effort between any or all of the following: IoT (Internet of Things), reality capture, software integration, and artificial intelligence. The result is a structural tool the AEC industry can use to determine the current, potential, and future state of the original object. Digital Twins have the power to transform a standard 3D model from a mere visualization to reality.

How Digital Twins Impact the Construction Industry

Simply put, Digital Twins make the BIM process smarter; Streamline your project by adding accurate, key data to a 3D model such as the current position and condition of a building or object. This in turn can create a more valuable deliverable to enhance the bidding process and entice current and prospective clients.

Get as close to predicting the future as possible. Through the use of AI (artificial intelligence) programs, Digital Twins can continuously update as a project progresses in real time. This not only elevates field to office communication, it also makes it much easier to avoid costly errors during a project’s progress and allows for the overall improvement of productivity. In the case of restoration or preservation projects, a digital twin can be the crucial element that makes it a true success.

A Digital Twin Use Case

Recently, RPG’s Professional Services team worked with Mason and Hanger on a special project during COVID-19 restrictions. A Digital Twin was included as a deliverable for this project. Read more about this case study here.

Contact RPG

If you have any questions about RPG’s construction scanning services, feel free to send us a message at info@rpg.com or via the contact form. Rather speak on the phone? Call us at (800) 521-6319.

Laser Scanning Case Study

How RPG Squarefoot Solutions and Mason & Hanger used 3D Laser Scanning to stay on schedule during COVID-19 restrictions.

Struggling to keep pace with project schedules, and encountering labor shortages, Mason & Hanger (M&H), a Day & Zimmermann Company, dedicated to providing architectural and engineering services, specializing in the worldwide design of secure, mission-driven facilities, accepted RPG Squarefoot Solution’s (RPG) suggestion to utilize 3D laser scanning to capture the data that they needed. On their projects they were using several people with traditional data capture methods (tape measurer, pencil, and paper) to capture site data. For a previous project that involved measuring a pipeline within a fire suppression system inside a tunnel that they had limited on site access to, they brought in RPG to consult and train onsite using the Leica RTC360, Leica BLK360, and Lecia Cyclone suite of software. At RPG, their trained personnel understand the importance of accurate data collection. Therefore, they offer both 3D scanning and post-processing services, training, and consulting. Their reality capture specialists have worked on a wide range of projects. From historic preservation and renovation, to new construction and building inspections – they’ve tackled it!

With RPG’s assistance, M&H completed their initial tunnel project well ahead of schedule. This allowed their team to use the Leica RTC360 on an additional project. They were already experiencing how laser scanning saved time. With the added obstacle of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were convinced that laser scanning was a tool they needed to streamline their operations and ensure their team’s safety. M&H purchased a Leica RTC360 and accessories, and accompanying Leica Cyclone software suite.

Project Specifications

Location

United States Military Facility

Area

37,000 Square Feet

4 Floors, Attic & Crawl Space

315 Setups & 2.14 Billion Points

Equipment

2x Leica RTC360 Laser Scanner

1x Leica BLK360 Laser Scanner

Time Onsite

15 Hours

Time Post-Processing

6 Hours

Deliverables

Digital Twin

Virtual Walk Through to Assess Existing Conditions

LGS File

3D Point Cloud Data

Challenge

Many construction projects have been delayed, and some canceled, because of the impact of COVID-19. The pandemic is slowing projects down, causing delay and disruption, even if only because subcontractors cannot get onsite to access existing conditions to submit proper bids. Many states have issued travel bans which leaves companies having to rely on out of date floor plans in order to bid on projects. Once sites reopen this can result in costly delays and numerous change orders. How can subcontractors accurately bid without accessing the site?

M&H designed a building and before the construction contractors can bid, contractors need to visit the site. Since they cannot physically visit the site due to the pandemic restrictions, they will need to receive an alternative option for review.

Solution

RPG partnered with M&H to go onsite and capture accurate data to share with the client, contractors, and subcontractors. We captured existing conditions in point cloud and 360° photos to enable firms to bid on the renovation project without having to send crews onsite to evaluate. This data will also be used for verifying existing conditions against previous plans.

This was a large project with only 2 days of site access. To best utilize our resources RPG brought their RTC360 and BLK360, and M&H brought their RTC360. The job was divided into smaller sections (per floor and area) to allow for easier processing. The BLK360 was needed to capture details in the smaller areas, including the attic and crawl space.

An LGS file and virtual walkthrough was sent to bidding contractors.

Contact RPG

If you have any questions about RPG’s construction scanning services, feel free to send us a message at info@rpg.com or via the contact form. Rather speak on the phone? Call us at (800) 521-6319.

BLK360 Case Study: Arcadis Utilizes RPG’s Rental Program

How RPG’s Rental Program Helped Arcadis to Collect Accurate Measurements and Reduce Errors

Why Choose RPG?

When the time came to explore the option of renting a Leica BLK360 for their project, Arcadis found that the RPG rental program provided the most comprehensive package with all necessary peripherals and software to get started. Arcadis also discovered the pricing to be competitive and the program itself to be flexible. RPG seamlessly worked with the Arcadis legal team to develop terms the company could accept. Arcadis reports the rental package provided, including RPG’s BLK360 User Guide, was in excellent condition and enabled Arcadis to quickly get started.

Who is Arcadis?

Arcadis is the leading global Design & Consultancy firm for natural and built assets. Applying their deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services, they work in partnership with their clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the life cycle of their natural and built assets. They are 27,000 people active in over 70 countries dedicated to improving the quality of life.

Why Choose the BLK360?

A Process Designer at Arcadis learned about the BLK360 during a BIM training. Another engineer saw a demonstration at a digital boot camp program. Although Arcadis owns several scanners, their purpose is surveying and unlike the BLK360, they do not provide colored point cloud data. In addition to its accuracy, a star feature that attracted them to the BLK360 was its ease of use. Despite being first time users, engineers who completed scans with the BLK360 found it to be user-friendly, with the added help of RPG’s Professional Services team.

Project Overview

Arcadis tackled a challenging wastewater treatment plant project that involved the routing of several large pipes through an area that was already heavily crowded. The pipes were mainly being routed via underground tunnels, posing another obstacle. Due to these challenges, there was a sizable risk of collecting unreliable dimensions, overlooking crucial details, and making several time consuming trips to the field as a result. Arcadis needed an accurate and efficient solution to design around the existing facilities, while avoiding design conflicts

Project Goals

The primary goal Arcadis set out to achieve with the BLK360 was to avoid any interference by comparing the newly modeled pipe to the point cloud data generated by the BLK360. Additional benefits include:

      • Collect accurate measurements and reduce the risk of errors due to inaccessible areas within the project site.
      • Improve overall efficiency by avoiding repeated trips to the field.
      • Use point cloud data as a reference point to gather additional information as needed.

To view the phases of this project and results, read the entire Arcadis Case Study.

Want to rent the BLK30 for your next project? Contact us to get the process started, or reserve today.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to send us a message at info@rpg.com. Rather speak on the phone? Call us at (800) 521-6319,

Redefining As-Builts with the RTC360 Laser Scanner

 

Revolutionize your AEC As-Builts with the RTC360 Laser Scanner

Twenty-four hours. That’s how quickly you can complete laser scanning and return high-value deliverables to project managers when you utilize the RTC360 laser scanner. It’s a substantial improvement over other approaches to produce as-builts and verify existing conditions.

People are easily achieving a 60% time savings and are able to deliver information the architects and engineers can work from the very next day. Therefore, giving them a huge advantage in overall production.

Redefining As-Builts with Point Clouds

The secret to RPG’s high-speed scanning operation is a combination of hardware, software and exploration. It started with a BLK360. Working with point clouds was initially overwhelming, but with support from Leica we quickly grew our laser scanning skill. RPG quickly added a P16, many more BLK360’s and an RTC360. As a result, a single person can quickly and accurately capture measurements for site surveys, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) documentation and as-builts. This saved a lot of time compared to sending a half-dozen engineers and architects to the jobsite with paper, pencils and tape measures.

Transforming Turnaround with In-Field Registration

Before the RTC360, on a typical project, a team can capture about 400 to 500 scans. With most laser scanners, the point cloud data from the scans then need to be aligned or registered in the office before it can be exported to a useful deliverable. Although software advances have made the registration process faster and more intuitive, it still takes time, which no one has.

With the RTC360, most of the registration work is completed as the scans are captured. Through a visual inertial system, or VIS, which uses five cameras or “eyes” and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), the laser scanner is able to “see” its surroundings and produce an accurate station-to-station position in the field. The scanner also supplements the point cloud data with high-quality HDR imaging. As a result, the work required in the office is practically eliminated.

The time savings from the ultrafast scanning and in-field registration have transformed the ability to deliver valuable information quickly. And with accurate 3D data there are no missed measurements or errors, which eliminates rework.

Contact RPG

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to send us a message at info@rpg.com or via the contact form. Rather speak on the phone? Call us at (800) 521-6319.

Streamlining Design with Construction Scanning Services

It’s no secret that 3D laser scanning has recently become a leading trend within the A/E/C industry and its growing popularity is unsurprising.  The impact can be attributed to its many perks, such as: assessing building conditions more accurately, reducing rework, providing more competitive bids, and aiding in the creation of highly detailed BIM models.

Perhaps you have done some 3D laser scanning in the past but aren’t quite sure how to translate that data into something meaningful. Maybe the learning curve involved in processing the data has made you apprehensive to give 3D scanning a try at all. At the end of the day, what you do with the captured 3D scan data is what truly matters. That’s why investing in comprehensive construction scanning services can be a huge benefit for your company.

Construction scanning services combine 3D laser scanning and 3D visualization solutions as a more accurate and efficient way to support your planning, designing, and construction. By having large elements of your scanning project completed offsite, you free up more time (and budget) to effectively manage other aspects of your ongoing list of projects.

Some key advantages of utilizing Construction Scanning Services include:

  • Receiving incredibly accurate as-built files/data delivered on your timeline in your preferred format
  • Eliminating the learning curve involved in 3D scan data processing software
  • Promoting an accelerated end-to-end workflow
  • Rapidly increasing mobilization periods

RPG has recently added construction scanning services to our expansive repertoire. Each project is customizable to your specific needs. We begin each project with your end goal in mind.  Do you need assistance converting captured reality into immersive data? Our team of specialists is available to help transform your scan data into a precise as-built. We don’t just scan, we deliver solutions.

Do you require a full-scope, soup-to-nuts 3D laser scanning project? We can take care of that too. At project completion, we deliver your as-built data in the format that enables your desired business outcome, whether that be: a point cloud, mesh, CAD or REVIT file. Additionally, our trained and certified experts can provide you with the guidance and experience enabling you to capture your own data. We’ll even handle the post-processing, so you can begin the next project as quickly as possible. We look forward to working with you to make your next project productive and profitable!

Our clients include:

  • Owners & Developers
  • Architects
  • Engineers
  • General Contractors
  • Specialty Subcontractors
  • Project Managers
  • Interior Designers
  • Historical Preservationists
  • Projection-Mapping & Video Professionals
  • Virtual Reality Developers
  • Gaming & Film Professionals

Interested in learning more? Please feel free to submit a web form HERE and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible. Do you want to speak with us directly? To reach us by phone: 301-498-3225, if you prefer email: info@rpg.com.