Lidar 3D Mapping
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Lidar 3D Mapping
- Using LIDAR technology XXXXX brings plant design back to the office rather than requiring work in the field. The laser scan accurately locates existing pipes, conduit, equipment, structures, and other obstructions and appurtenances that affect the design of new structural framing, regardless of complexity. With this technology there is a huge saving in time , cost and resource
- The Present-day 3D laser scanning technique involves very advanced technologies and these procedures use laser beams, advanced sensors, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), receiver electronics, and photodetectors. Using all these components, laser scanners can calculate accurate coordinates of surfaces and structures.
- The scanning is done with an electronic device known as Laser Scanner. This device throws out a Laser Beam towards the target object that bounce off surfaces and reflect it back to a sensor installed in the Scanner. The sensor then calculates how far away the surface is by measuring the time taken for the light beam to complete its journey. This process is known as the “time of flight” measurement. The distance measured is then used to calculate a coordinate for the tiny section of the surface hit by the laser beam.
The Present-day 3D laser scanning technique involves very advanced technologies and these procedures use laser beams, advanced sensors, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), receiver electronics, and photodetectors. Using all these components, laser scanners can calculate accurate coordinates of surfaces and structures.
The scanning is done with an electronic device known as Laser Scanner. This device throws out a Laser Beam towards the target object that bounce off surfaces and reflect it back to a sensor installed in the Scanner. The sensor then calculates how far away the surface is by measuring the time taken for the light beam to complete its journey. This process is known as the “time of flight” measurement. The distance measured is then used to calculate a coordinate for the tiny section of the surface hit by the laser beam.
The above diagram explains the technique used in Laser scanning. Laser beam emitted from the Scanner travels to the target, gets reflected off its surface and then comes back to its source. As the speed of light is a constant value, the LiDAR can calculate the distance to the target as per below formula –
Distance = (Speed of Light x Time of Flight) / 2
The Scanner device sends multiple laser beams in all three (3) directions (360 degrees) i.e., X, Y and Z Planes with respect to its position and creates multiple point coordinates of its near-by objects. When the scanner completes capturing of images of its near-by area in all three axes then this is called as 1 (one) scan image of the scanner.
During a single scan, a laser scanner will collect millions of 3D coordinates. The result is a 3-dimensional image of the object created by millions of dot-images captured by the Scanner. This 3-dimensional image is called as Cloud Data.
At a given time, the scanner can only capture dot-images of the target object as seen from any one side of the object. To create walk-through image of the target object, it is required that the 3-dimensional cloud images of the target object are created from all its sides – as visible from human naked-eye.
The cloud images (data) created from multiple sides of the target object are electronically stitched together to give a walk-through 3D image of the object.
When the point clouds from laser scans are processed, they form a digital representation of the scanned surfaces, demonstrating the dimensions and spatial relationships of topographic features and structures
Applications of Laser Scanning
- Land Surveying and Building Surveying
- It Creates 3D As-built modelling of the complete plant which will be helpful in future expansions and existing modifications and retrofitting works
- Aesthetically 3D asset of the complete plant for presentation of the plant
- Piping retrofitting of the plant which can be beneficial in modification and adding of new lines in the existing plant.
- Plot plan of the complete plant can be created which help in keeping track of the land in use and idle land for future expansions
- It also helps in creating Digital Asset Information viz - number of pumps, motors, reactors vessels etc.
Laser Scanning Applications
The engineering activities involved in Laser Scanning and 3-dimensnial modelling of a Process plant can be classified into following stages –
Stage 1: Laser Scanning
Laser Scanning of all plant assets (equipment, piping etc.) from all locations from which it is possible to view the assets. The Laser Scanner Device (Camera) is used for this purpose.
Stage 2: Registration of Data
Laser Scanning of all plant assets (equipment, piping etc.) from all locations from which it is possible to view the assets. The Laser Scanner Device (Camera) is used for this purpose.
Stage 3: Non-Intelligent modelling
The data at this stage is processed to create 3D model of the plant with smooth surfaces of the equipment and with very accurate dimensions. The image produced is of Engineering value which privies actual dimension of each equipment and the relative distances between them. The 3D image can also be used to generate 2D Orthographic drawings of the plant assets and piping.
The 3D image also provides virtual walk-through of the plant.
Stage 4: Intelligent modelling
In this phase, for each Plant asset, its Engineering information is added to its image in 3D model. For example – for each pipe segment - its type, OD, ID, MOC etc. is added into its image. Similarly, for a pump – its make, model, head, flowrate, motor kW rating etc. is added into its image.
