Specialised apps add to FARO SCENE 3D functionality

April 13, 2016 – Plug-in app developers are adding to the efficiency and usability of core professional software packages, such as that offered by spatial scanning systems experts FARO.

Far from being a closed system, FARO’s intuitive SCENE 3D laser scanning software supports a multitude of specially developed plug-in applications that work seamlessly in order to provide survey and construction professionals with additional functionality.

“There are a number of stand-alone and plug-in apps available that gives FARO SCENE 3D even more back-end horsepower for detailed analytical tasks,” says Jeremy Neilson of Synergy Positioning Systems.

“These apps are endorsed by FARO and typically offer a specific tool set for certain tasks. Industry professionals can download the programmes through app providers and in many occasions free single-user trail offers allow a thorough evaluation of the software and its benefits before investing further.”

One such developer is Rithm, which offers separate suits of functionality focused on different disciplines, designed to integrate seamlessly with FARO SCENE 3D.

The Rithm Survey app offers CAD drawing and virtual survey functionality directly from the point cloud. In addition to other features, this app allows the user to quickly create lines, polylines, arcs and labels in 3D view, create topo points with easy point creation, draw topographic contour lines and heat maps based on relative or specified base elevations and create dimensions and slopes, with text and numbers automatically keeping the same size and orientation regardless of viewing angle.

The Rithm Inspector app allows the industry professional to check for compliance of building elements to various building codes and produce construction inspection deliverables with efficiency and accuracy through 3D point cloud-assisted inspection.

The Rithm Builder app allows construction experts, sub-contractors and service providers to produce powerful construction quality control deliverables quickly and accurately. For example, this app can assist with monitoring the progress of concrete grinding/filling or structural steel beam deflection after deck loading. The Rithm Builder app also features cut and fill maps and other visualisation tools.

As stand-alone point-cloud software, FARO SCENE 3D processes and manages scanned data easily and efficiently by using automatic object recognition as well as scan registration and positioning. SCENE can also generate high-quality colourised scans very quickly, while providing the tools for automated target-less scan positioning.

Well-regarded for being extremely user-friendly, SCENE performs a variety of tasks, from simple measuring to 3D visualisation to meshing and exporting into various point cloud and CAD formats.

More information about the FARO SCENE 3D can be found here.