Ben Blades, our in-house laser scanning expert, has embraced new technology since joining the firm in 2014. As a high school intern, he was fascinated with next generation technology and how it improves the design process, quickly and accurately gathering critical information that saves time for the design team and reduces the chances of a miscalculation.
Ben’s laser scanning expertise eliminates the need for manual measuring and hand drawing, saving valuable time for design and reducing unforeseen circumstances. He utilizes his technological expertise to create point clouds for project teams in all studio departments, detailing a building’s condition with extreme accuracy.
What are point clouds?
Point clouds are a dense group of 3D points generated through laser scanning that digitally replicate a building’s interior/exterior for design and construction.
Each scan creates thousands of points (i.e. a point cloud) and those points create a detailed 3D mesh of the building. This saves time at the beginning of a project and informs the team about any potential future issues regarding the existing building conditions.
Information gathered can be shared with other trades, such as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. And because the technology is cloud-based, the entire project team can easily access the information, streamlining the design process.
How did you become our laser scanning expert?
Practice, practice, practice. After joining the firm full-time, I was asked if I was interested in learning to operate new technology the firm had invested in. New technology has always interested me, so I was very excited about it. Once I started, it took 2-3 years to gain an in-depth understanding of how to scan different building and structure types and to accurately scan in all seasons.
The only way to gain a high level of knowledge and experience is to scan different building types in various conditions. I have scanned dozens of buildings and I find it to be fascinating. I love telling a building’s story after I’ve scanned it. Whether it’s an abandoned building with unknown rooms that are showing signs of decay or newer, modern buildings. I learn so much about their history.
How do you create point clouds?
Point clouds start with an initial in-field scanning, which can take hours or weeks, depending on the square footage of the interior and exterior spaces. The scanner rapidly captures multiple data points, creating a dense 3D point cloud that accurately represents the area’s geometry. This process is repeated from multiple positions and angles to capture the entire space.
The most critical part of this process is the scanner placement and ensuring I capture all the important information of our project scope. It’s important to make sure each scan has at least 75% overlap so that I can create an accurate representation for the project. I combine each individual scan one by one.
What technology do you use?
There’s a wide range of technology I use that can be utilized to further the design of a project, but my go-to tools are a Faro 3D Laser scanner, Aviation Drone, MakerBot 3D Printer, Oculus Virtual Reality equipment, Matterport Lidar Scanner. I am also a certified Laser Scanner Technician and am pursuing my Aviation drone pilot license.