01
Capture strategy
Scanner positions are planned around the required surfaces, expected occlusions and level of detail.
Technology & accuracy
Live capture / 360°
Status: recording
From measured reality to engineering-ready data.
The Leica RTC360 captures the site. Our scan planning, registration, verification and delivery workflow turns that capture into a reliable spatial reference for design, fabrication and installation.
Canopus / scan division Scroll to inspect
How data is built
Reliable data is built across the complete workflow.
Instrument specifications matter, but they are only one part of the result. Scan-to-scan distance, line of sight, surface overlap, site movement, control and registration all influence the quality of the final dataset.
We define what the data must support before mobilisation, then design the capture and verification method around that decision — whether the requirement is a general facility layout, an equipment fit-check or measured installation interfaces.
02
Overlapping coverage
Adjacent stations share sufficient geometry so successive setups can be combined into one consistent site model.
03
Control where required
Targets, known coordinates or survey control can be introduced when the project coordinate framework demands it.
04
Verification before delivery
Registration, coverage and project requirements are reviewed before modelling, comparison or handover begins.
From the field
From the hall floor to a file your team can trust.
Accuracy is scoped
Accuracy is defined by the decision — and verified through the workflow.
Using the Leica RTC360, we capture millimetre-level 3D data. Leica specifies 3D point accuracy of approximately 1.9 mm at 10 metres, 2.9 mm at 20 metres and 5.3 mm at 40 metres. Final project accuracy also depends on scan distance, overlap, site conditions, registration and the required deliverable. Before mobilisation, we define the target tolerance, plan the scan positions and survey control, and verify the registered dataset before delivery.
1.9 mm
3D point accuracy at 10 m
2.9 mm
3D point accuracy at 20 m
5.3 mm
3D point accuracy at 40 m
2M
Maximum points per second
Published Leica RTC360 3D point accuracy. Final registered project accuracy is verified against the agreed tolerance before delivery.
What changes the result
Four variables that matter on an industrial survey.
01
Distance
Published tolerances are expressed at representative working distances rather than treated like distant building structures.
02
Visibility
Laser scanning records visible surfaces. Additional positions are used to cover occluded machinery, guarding, interiors and congested aisles.
03
Site conditions
Moving people and vehicles, vibration, dust, reflective finishes and transparent materials can affect coverage or create noise that must be managed.
04
Registration
Individual scan stations overlap, are aligned, and where required connected to control in an agreed project coordinate system.
Registration & quality control
One coordinate framework from the first station to final handover.
The field capture is processed so a series of stations become one site model. Overlapping stations are aligned, the registration is reviewed, unwanted clutter is removed and the dataset is prepared for the agreed deliverable set.
- Station-to-station registration checks
- Coverage and occlusion review
- Coordinate and coincidence checks where required
- Noise and transient clutter cleaning
- Deliverable-specific verification
Measured geometry
What laser scanning sees — and what it does not.
A point cloud is a dense record of visible surfaces, not an X-ray of the facility. Understanding that boundary is part of planning a useful survey.
- Line of sight
- The scanner cannot see through machines, walls, guarding or occluded zones unless additional viewpoints or supporting data are used.
- Reflective and transparent surfaces
- Highly polished metal, glass and some dark finishes may return less signal or noisy measurements and can require supporting checks.
- Internal condition
- Scanning records geometry; it does not confirm material strength, internal leakage, electrical condition or the integrity of a mechanical connection.
- Changing environments
- The dataset represents the condition of the site during capture. Later modifications elsewhere do not flow through as an update of the scan.
Deliverables & file formats
Hand over files your team can open.
The output is defined around viewing, drawing, modelling and comparison workflows your project team already uses — not a proprietary viewer they have to learn.
| Deliverable | Format | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Registered point cloud | E57 · PTS / PTX | Software-independent measured data for viewing, measurement and downstream processing. |
| Autodesk scan project | RCP / RCS | Registered scan project for compatible Autodesk design and coordination workflows. |
| 2D as-built documentation | DWG · DXF · PDF | Dimensioned plans, elevations and sections extracted from measured conditions. |
| 3D engineering model | STEP · IGES · native CAD | Accurate built geometry for layout, clearance, interfaces and fit-check work. |
| BIM / coordination model | IFC · NWD / NWC | Shared geometry for architecture, structural and MEP coordination when needed in scope. |
| Visual site reference | 360° panoramas · stills | Photographic context for teams reviewing the facility away from site. |
Planning questions
Before the scanner arrives.
- Is scanner accuracy the same as final project accuracy?
- No. Instrument accuracy describes measurement performance under specified conditions. Final registered accuracy also depends on station geometry, overlap, objects in motion, surface response and processing. We define the project requirement and a verification approach before capture.
- Can the scans use our existing plant coordinate system?
- Yes, where existing control is known, referenced and accessible and a coordinate comparison is required in the scope. We confirm the required coordinate system during project planning.
- Can the RTC360 scan while production continues?
- Often, yes. Capture is non-contact and can usually be coordinated around operating areas. Moving machinery, vehicles, restricted zones or occluded interfaces may require a coordinated access window.
- Can every point cloud be converted automatically into CAD or BIM?
- No. A point cloud is measured data; usable CAD or BIM requires interpretation and geometry extracted from that data. The required objects, level of detail and modelling rules must be agreed as a separate deliverable.
- How large will the files be?
- File size depends on the footprint, density, number of stations, scan overlap, cleanup and output format. For factory-scale projects we can structure the dataset into coordinated pieces so engineering tools can still open the files.
- Can you combine scans from the existing and destination facilities?
- Yes. The two captures can be prepared for equipment-to-building comparison, layout coordination, clearance studies and installation planning using an agreed coordinate framework.
Define the requirement
Tell us what the data must prove.
Share the site, the intended decision, the required outputs and any known tolerances or coordinate requirements. We will define the capture and verification around that purpose.
Office
Am Ohlenberg 19, 64390 Erzhausen, Germany
Hours
Monday–Friday: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM