A GPRS Case Study

Laser Scanning Manufacturing Facility for Capital Improvement Project

Highlights

THE BIG IDEA

A Revit model will expedite design changes and fabrication of equipment to increase production capacity at the manufacturing plant.

INDUSTRY

Industrial, Manufacturing, Assembly & Distribution Facilities

SERVICE

3D Laser Scanning and 3D BIM Modeling

ASK

PROJECT APPLICATION

GPRS provides 3D laser scanning services for facility upgrades and expansions, delivering 2-4mm accurate dimensions of building infrastructure: structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing features; furnaces, equipment, conduit and piping. With an accurate, comprehensive data set, plant engineers can install new equipment and upgrade the three manufacturing lines.

TASK

3D laser scan a manufacturing facility that is receiving upgrades to three of its lines to capture point cloud data and generate a 3D Revit Model.

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PROBLEM

A specialty compound manufacturer was upgrading three manufacturing lines at its plant as part of a larger capital improvement plan.
The facility was originally built in the 1980's and has expanded several times over the years.
Multiple levels in the facility needed scanned at a very high level of detail, capturing structural, architectural, MEP and civil elements, along with a site plan.
The following areas required 3D laser scanning services:
- On the ground production level, GPRS captured extruder areas for lines 1-3 and process equipment.
- On the mezzanine level, GPRS captured mixers for each extrusion line.
- On the second floor, GPRS captured blender areas for lines 1-3, process equipment, air handling equipment, and additional rooms.
- Outside, GPRS captured the tank farm and silo farm.

Solution

The facility was 3D laser scanned on the weekend to minimize interruption to the manufacturing lines.
73 scans were performed in one day with the Leica P40 ScanStation and the Leica RTC360 laser scanner, acquiring very high detail of the plant.
Colorized point cloud, TruView Viewer files, and a Revit model were delivered to the client.

Benefits

3D laser scanning and a Revit model will expedite design changes and fabrication of equipment to increase production capacity.
The investment of laser scanning will reduce the project timeline, minimize downtime and change orders -- providing cost savings for the client.
This client is pioneering innovation in its industry -- upgrading the lines with updated extruders will increase capacity for long-term growth while minimizing stoppages, set-up times, and scrap material.