Laser Scanning Team Tackles Refinerys Demanding Documentation

这位加利福尼亚州一家大型炼油厂的主要工程师是世界上最大的石油公司之一，面临着在短时间内升级流体催化开裂单元的挑战。

Having an accurate, current as-built of the existing facility was crucial to ensuring installation of the new unit without rework or project delays, but the complete dataset would need to be provided in just four weeks. The traditional approach of using pocket tape measures and asymmetrical sketches was out of the question.

Believing that 3D laser scanning was the only conceivable way to gather accurate and comprehensive plant documentation in such a short period, the engineer contacted F3 & Associates, a company that he knew was an expert in 3D scanning and modeling. Would they be able to help?

Technology, Teamwork and Creativity Make It Happen
高分辨率扫描和照片的使用提供了最丰富的数据集，以促进最准确的计划。

即使在3D激光扫描仪的帮助下，F3＆Associates的团队也知道他们必须创造性才能找到截止日期的方法。F3＆Associates校长Sean Finn说：“无论一开始需求有多不切实际，我们都为能够迅速做出反应而感到自豪。”“在这种情况下，我们必须凝结一个通常需要两个月时间到一半时间的项目。”

为了实现目标，团队创建了一个战略工作流程，使用三个Leica高清测量（HDS）激光扫描仪同时运行。该公司已经拥有一家Leica ScanStation C10，该公司每秒可捕获多达50,000点，范围高达300米；还有狮子扫描仪P20，每秒最多可获得100万点，范围为120米。由于时间至关重要，该公司又租用了一个Leica ScanStation P20激光扫描仪，并使用了两个高速扫描仪来捕获大多数数据。在需要远程高海拔扫描的地区，该团队使用了Leica ScanStation C10。

芬恩说：“两种扫描仪类型的组合非常好，因为我们可以在长期扫描中使C10工作45分钟，而P20s则在指定的高分辨率要求下又捕获了五次扫描，加上照片。”高分辨率扫描和照片的使用提供了最丰富的数据集，以促进最准确的计划。

Five professionals from F3 & Associates compiled the data, some doing surveying ahead of the scanners to provide ground control while others operated the scanners. Because the team members had been cross-trained on surveying and scanning, they had some flexibility to help each other out to ensure that bottlenecks did not occur. For example, if the associates who were scanning caught up with the survey crew, they took a break from scanning and assisted with the surveying.

The Safer Solution
而团队能够获取更好的备用ion more quickly compared to traditional documentation methods, they also benefited from increased safety. Without laser scanning, they would have needed to use scaffolding and man-lifts to access hard-to-reach areas, but the Leica ScanStation P20 and C10 can document everything from the ground. In addition, because the data collected enables plant managers to plan installations methodically, it minimizes the amount of time that people have to spend in the plant. It's not necessary, for example, to revisit the plant to fill in gaps in the data because the data the P20 collects is so rich. Finn notes, "The less time you spend in the facility, the safer the project."

Keeping the Workflow Simple
Leica ScanStations are the standard in the petrochemical industry, but Finn said he also chose to use them because of the workflow simplicity. Once they captured the data, F3 & Associates downloaded it into the Leica Cyclone software, which allowed them to register the high accuracy point clouds quickly and easily. The associates then provided the refinery with a high resolution registered point cloud with photographs, as well as 3D prints for strategic areas to help stakeholders visualize the plant.

巨大的时间节省……等等
在过去,他们会开始长,shopping list of items to document.

使用传统工具（例如袖珍磁带和剪贴板），这个规模的项目将花费大约六个月的时间。芬恩估计，使用Leica Geosystems的激光扫描仪以及其创意工作流程，将文档时间缩短了一个月。但是，他补充说，没有激光扫描仪，“我不确定这是否有可能。”

在过去,他们会开始长,shopping list of items to document. Then they would go onsite to tie out, for example, pipe rack elevations, anchor bolts and key structures that would show engineers where to start and where to end. The challenge, however, is to get from point A to point B. "How are you going to route that pipe? What are you going to miss?" says Finn. "With laser scanning, you can fabricate the pipe and know the route it's going to take, the angle points required and where the touch points will be.

Laser scanning allows you to build things with more confidence." And, of course, the engineers could see it all on their computers from the comfort of their offices.

Because the refinery obtained such a wealth of information within just a few weeks, they were able to save money on data collection and accurately plan the design, construction and installation of their new catalytic cracking unit, thereby avoiding unnecessary delays and downtime.