A comprehensive guide of the scan to BIM services

Modern technologies have redefined the century that we live in. It has made the old proverb of "change is inevitable" true. Changes are required at every interval to be beneficial for every sector. In the construction industry too, technological changes are redefining the industry. In this particular blog, we will be talking about the Scan to BIM service. Scan to BIM service provider has completely changed the way refurbishment or modification projects are handled in construction projects. Let’s start our discussion by giving you a brief idea of the scan to BIM services.

Introduction of Scan to BIM services

Scan to BIM service is the process that is used to create a digital representation of the building in its existing condition. The physical and functional characteristics of the building are captured into the BIM model. The process starts with a laser scanner that emits laser rays at a high frequency to create 3D scans of the building. The 3D point could thus created using the point cloud services is imported into the 3D BIM software.

These services can create as-built models to capture the design in the as-built condition. The process of laser scanning began in the AEC industry in 1990 with the intent to capture the current details and condition of the building along with its design purpose. With a process change and the use of advanced techniques, the service is quickly becoming a standard practice for people and companies connected with the service. Moving ahead, let’s now talk about the Scan to BIM process.

Process of Scan-to-BIM

The Scan-to-BIM service providers follow a four-step process as listed below-

1.Identifying requisite information 2.Planning for the Scan 3.Performing the Scan 4.Creating the 3D model

Let’s try and understand each step of the process in greater detail-

Identification of requisite information

This is a very important step before executing any process in the BIM industry. It is important to know the level of detail in the BIM model. However, the higher is the level of detail, the greater is the cost of execution. Thus, there should be a balance between the cost and level of detail in the project execution.

Planning for the scan

Before acquiring the 3D scan the engineers create detailed plans for the same. This step is extremely beneficial especially when it becomes difficult to find the design of the existing building. In this step, the attributes needed for the scanning process are identified.

Performing the scan

A device that emits laser rays at a high-frequency laser beam is placed inside the building. Every time the laser beam strikes the building walls, a point denoting the coordinates is recorded. Thus, at the end of the scan, we can get a point cloud image of the building.

Creating the 3D model

The point cloud image is converted into a 3D scan of the building using Revit or other BIM software. This is a two-step process having the following steps-

1.Deciphering the point cloud data2.Accurate and detailed 3D modeling

The above steps give a brief overview of scan-to-BIM services. Along with improving quality, and saving time, scan to BIM services also saves cost and creates a common data environment. As a leading BIM service provider, Ivan Dimensions offers a range of BIM engineering services and point cloud services to address the needs of the AEC industry.