Data of 3D laser scans in AutoCAD

27 May 2008, 11:50am

The result of a 3D laser scan is a cloud of points which contains the coordinates and colours of Millions of measured points. Due to their immense size these point clouds mostly can not be displayed in CAD software and therefore can not be evaluated and processed in CAD either.

PointCloud (now available as version 4.0) allows the display and processing of large clouds of points inside AutoCAD.
Multiple point clouds can be loaded. Functionality for showing and hiding of defined sections of point clouds and the possibility to vary the size of displayed points facilitate the orientation and evaluation during the processing.

Supporting the AutoCAD Object Snap PointCloud provides access to every single observation point of the cloud. Inside a point cloud it is possible to use all AutoCAD commands for drawing. Usually the result is a 3D model or a standard CAD plan.

The Pro version of PointCloud offers numerous additional functionality and commands for the processing and evaluation of 3D scan data.

Besides established operations like clash detection it is now possible to fit for instance polylines, planes or cylinders (pipes) to freely definable sections of the point cloud.

By intersecting two planes edges of objects are determined fast and precisely. Using three or more planes points like the apex of a roof or the edge of a house on the ground which themselves are not content of the point cloud can be determined exactly whereas else their position would have to be estimated.

An AutoCAD UCS can be aligned with an adjusted plane which facilitates the further work inside the CAD considerably.

The fitting of cylinders speeds up the evaluation of scans of industrial plants significantly. The automatic fitting of polylines allows the generation of outlines plans of cross sections and profiles in an easy way. When evaluating scanned objects like for instance tunnels it is helpful to be able to define sections, which display certain selected parts of a point cloud. Such sections can be positioned parallel to a UCS plane as well as along AutoCAD curves.

All geometrical sections defined in one point cloud can be transferred to other point clouds in correct positional arrangement.

With PointCloud Pro it is possible to additionally use oriented images for the evaluation that are provided by the scanner. Polylines drawn in the images are simultaneously transferred into the point cloud.

Simply drawing along a kerb in the photo generates a three dimensional polyline in the point cloud in correct positional arrangement. The oriented images have a much better resolution than the point clouds. Edges are clearly cognizable. Drawing on the photos is not only faster and easier it is also more accurate than estimating such objects directly inside the point cloud. Drawing with PointCloud now also supports the perspective mode of AutoCAD.

Licensees of PointCloud can hand on single point clouds together with a FreeEdition of PointCloud, which though it is bound to this certain cloud can be used without any limitations in functionality. Therewith service providers get the possibility to hand on point clouds they measured to their customers for the customers own examination and evaluation in AutoCAD.

PointCloud and PointCloud Pro support the direct import of point clouds of several common types of scanners. Point clouds of less common scanners can be imported using an ASCII file.

Further information on PointCloud and PointCloud Pro as well as user reports can be found on the website www.kubit.de.
People who are interested in the software may get a free of charge trial version.

www.kubit.de

Geo: International