Every day, technologies are invented that cross the border between the physical world and virtual reality. An up-and-coming major player in the engineering fields, scan to BIM is an example of one such technology. Keep reading to learn about the basics of scan to BIM and why it’s so important for every engineer.
What is scan to BIM?
At its core, scan to BIM takes a physical object and creates a virtual modeling. Through a comprehensive laser scan that captures all the details of the item in question, engineers and builders can create detailed maps and diagrams of real-world spaces with minimal measurement and hands-on work.
By entering a few key numbers and measurements (called parameters) into the BIM’s user interface, an engineer can get these detailed scans with basically the click of a button. To see it in action, check out this video of a church getting scanned by one such technology.
What are the advantages?
A setup like this has many advantages, but a few of the most important ones include:
- Scans save time. Instead of taking meticulous measurements by hand, scan to BIM allows you to capture a space in one fell swoop with minimal background information.
- Scans eliminate common human measurement and math errors. With a machine taking measurements and crunching the numbers instead of people, the likelihood of error is far less. Of course, computers and calculators also significantly reduce this error, but scan to BIM technology takes it to the next level by eliminating the intermediate step.
Why hire a service to do your laser scans?
If you are interested in using scan to BIM in your next major project, there are a few ways to get started. On the one hand, you could purchase the equipment yourself, a costly process that involves not only equipment purchases but also employee training. This initial hurdle is too much for many smaller businesses or engineering firms who plan to use the technology only a limited number of times.
On the other hand, many people opt for a scan to BIM service. By outsourcing your scanning, you can save on both equipment and human resources costs. More importantly, you can focus your time and attention on what really matters–your own, unique engineering specialties.