What is a 3D scanner?

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Proud descendants of traditional laser rangefinders, with which they share common measurement principles, 3D laser scanners are the next generation of telemetry devices.

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3D laser scanners include one or more LiDAR sensors that emit a light beam that scans the environment horizontally and vertically to capture it in 3D, thus making it possible to generate a point cloud (raw 3D data). Depending on the model, 3D scanners can also collect image and thermal data.

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3D scanners on the market

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In the building sector, the most common 3D scanners are static scanners (tripod measuring devices), produced by manufacturers such as Leica, Faro or Trimble.

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In recent years, mobile scanners have emerged and are proving to be a very good option for large projects, offering greater speed of acquisition. Among the main equipment manufacturers, we can mention NavVis or viametris.

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The main uses of 3D scanning in the building

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3D building scanning is the gateway to a multitude of uses in the building. Among the main uses, we can mention in particular:

• Point cloud inspection to detect building details;
• The use of the point cloud for fine business analyses (e.g. flatness analyses);
• Clash detection and updating of a 3D/BIM digital model;
• The “scan to plan”: drawing a 2D plan based on the point cloud;
• The “scan to BIM”: the 3D modeling of a building based on its point cloud.