3D Laser Scanner - Point Cloud

Integrated 3D Laser Scanning and Engineering Servicies

CADE incorporates 3D laser scanning capabilities to generate point clouds and photorealistic models to its extensive portfolio of advanced engineering tools and competences.

As integrated service of the engineering and consulting projects usually conducted by the company, or as a devoted service for industrial equipment data gathering and 3D digitalization, CADE is introducing new 3D laser scanner’s advantages and competences to its regular activities crosswise.

3D Consulting, Engineering and Design Tool

3D laser scanner: consulting, engineering and design tool

The engineering and consulting sector is being transformed based on a new digitalization and information technology paradigm due to an increasing demand of accurate information, new methodologies and strategies that ease decision making around assets and related operations. To that end, the main owners of worldwide refineries and industrial plants require to incorporate a new digital approach for design, building, inspection, reliability, performance, operation and maintenance works to fulfill the new sector needs. Therefore, this is time to incorporate new services, solutions and methodologies based on new digital competences.

Consulting: assessment of existing industrial assets

3D laser scanning becomes especially useful when requiring reliable and accurate data gathering. Such information is highly necessary for the integrity evaluation and fitness for service assessment of critical piece of equipment, pipes or systems in services which show defects, degradation (verticality loss, dents, permanent deformations, thickness loss, etc.) or whose original design information is simply not available.

Likewise, in those cases when the objective is to identify and determine possible failure causes in critical assets (breakage, cracks appearance and propagation, plastic deformation, etc.), the accurate and strict physical characterization of these elements becomes strictly required to conduct root cause analysis and research studies by using numerical simulation models.

Engineering: Brownfield projects and as-built engineering

Having accurate and reliable measurements of an existing asset or equipment is absolutely necessary to fulfill any modification, expansion or upgrade after its original design and construction.

By acquiring a point cloud of the physical asset, it is possible to have an As-Built model completely updated with respect to the engineering documentation of original design (design Vs. construction). In addition, these point clouds allow to analyze and consider possible restrictions and interferences when undertaking new modifications or upgrades on an existing plant.

Listed below are some 3D laser scanner applications integrated by CADE in this type of projects:

Updating As-built engineering documentation
Data gathering and engineering assessment to carry out modifications or extensions in plant
Integration of the engineering design into the real model by means of a point cloud
Identification of deviations during building implementation regarding engineering design documentation
Control and supervision of progress of construction (allowing to establish temporal execution deviations)
Control and identification of foundation settlements of equipment and tanks
Design of sequences and maneuvers of construction and assembly works

Design: equipment manufacturing dimensional control

Geometric validation of static equipment in workshops (columns, reactors, towers, heat exchangers, etc.), as a verification method before its shipment to the site, is essential to avoid further issues during the final assembly and integration works.

By comparing the point cloud with the 3D CAD models from design phase, an accurate dimensional control is carried out, including the verification of:

ovalities
elevation, orientation and projection of nozzles
verticality of shell
deflection of faces in nozzles
deformations and defects in welds
Dimension and placement of equipment’s singular elements (saddles, cradles, supports, etc.)
Dimension of flanges
Volumetric dimension of tubular bundles for body insertion (heat exchangers)
Dimension, elevation and orientation of internal supports, plates, clips of pipe supports, welded elements
Etc.

Thanks to the results obtained in the dimensional control verification, it is possible to make in the actual workshop any corrections or modifications of geometrical defects, which can also be considered and anticipated in the following phase of assembly on field. Moreover, the property will be able to incorporate CAD models (based on point clouds) to the 3D digital model of the plant, updating final equipment dimensions (As-Built) and ensuring its proper integration with the rest of elements and systems.

3D point cloud for an optimal project workflow

For an optimal workflow, CADE makes available an on-line access to the obtained point cloud, which clients can check at any time anywhere, without the need of dedicated harwdware or specific software. This mean eases to review and comment any aspect of the project in real time.

Advanced Engineering Services

In addition to these services for 3D laser scanning and manufacturing dimensional control, CADE usually develops full engineering and design works for process and heat transfer equipment including process, hydraulic and thermal design, mechanical design, thermo-structural simulation using finite elements (FEM), fluid dynamics simulation (CFD) or manufacturing drawings.

CADE’s deep technical knowledge regarding design and modeling of static equipment in oil&energy industries is highly appreciated by final users, EPC contractors or equipment manufacturers. When undertaking 3D laser scanning and dimensional controls, this is the aspect that distinguish CADE above other traditional companies specialized in metrology or topographic services.