With the cost of laser scanning coming down, I have been researching what the cost entry-point is now for this technology.
I came across the Zeb Rivo and Zeb 1 scanners by GeoSLAM. My notes must be messed up, because I have the base scanners, Zeb1 at $2,500 and the Zeb Revo at $$2,360 . But, the Revo is the more expensive machine, so perhaps I just reversed the prices.
Both of these scanners require proprietary software to create the point cloud. You can purchase the unit with the software. The Revo is $4,500 for the Revo, and the Zeb1 is $3,500. Or alternatively, to save up-front money, you can choose to use their cloud service for the processing, at some price per scan (though the dealer has not gotten back to me with an estimated price on that).
But, their system only gives you the point cloud. You also need specialized software to do anything useful with the point cloud. PointCab was recommended to me. It costs $3,500 USD.
In regards to cloud software tied to a piece of hardware, this is obviously a major gamble. If the vendor goes under, or some other problem prevents you from accessing the cloud, you are stuck with a very expensive door-stop. So, cloud processing is off the table, from my perspective.
So, the entry point for scanning hardware and the necessary software seems to be $7,000.
2nd issue, is the actual cost/benefit ratio.
I work in an industry that needs to install large equipment into existing facilities, and we often need to do an as-built of the space. The space is often a warehouse with office space. Occasionally, the space is somewhat convoluted or has large equipment in the way, making manual efforts more difficult. I am evaluating if the idea of a laser scan or other comparable technology is comparable in price to sending out a guy with a tape measure. That "guy" is normally an engineer, since of course, he has to go to the site and get familiar with it anyway. On a few occasions we have had to send him back out for a missed measurement. And sometimes there were details that would be nice to have had, but we get by without it.
In some ways, a facility scan gives you too much information. Any drawing is a simplification of the real-world object. Walls are nearly always drawn straight, and corners are perpendicular. Though, in the real world, this is not the case... at least not to the precision a CAD system is capable of providing.
My current thinking is that the $7,000 for hardware/software, plus the CAD time to do the work is probably not worth it for us.
I had hoped that Google's project Tango would make an even lower price entry-point, and it would be cheap and easy enough to use, that we might just mail the equipment to the customer, and have them do the scan. Automatic photo-registration to the scan, coupled with a set of VR goggles might have permitted the engineer to take a virtual tour of the facility.
But, I have been told that Tango is just not accurate enough at the warehouse scale. Moreover, the software to do what I want, is still in the world of the university research project, rather than a real-world product.
Any other thoughts on this?
-Joe
I came across the Zeb Rivo and Zeb 1 scanners by GeoSLAM. My notes must be messed up, because I have the base scanners, Zeb1 at $2,500 and the Zeb Revo at $$2,360 . But, the Revo is the more expensive machine, so perhaps I just reversed the prices.
Both of these scanners require proprietary software to create the point cloud. You can purchase the unit with the software. The Revo is $4,500 for the Revo, and the Zeb1 is $3,500. Or alternatively, to save up-front money, you can choose to use their cloud service for the processing, at some price per scan (though the dealer has not gotten back to me with an estimated price on that).
But, their system only gives you the point cloud. You also need specialized software to do anything useful with the point cloud. PointCab was recommended to me. It costs $3,500 USD.
In regards to cloud software tied to a piece of hardware, this is obviously a major gamble. If the vendor goes under, or some other problem prevents you from accessing the cloud, you are stuck with a very expensive door-stop. So, cloud processing is off the table, from my perspective.
So, the entry point for scanning hardware and the necessary software seems to be $7,000.
2nd issue, is the actual cost/benefit ratio.
I work in an industry that needs to install large equipment into existing facilities, and we often need to do an as-built of the space. The space is often a warehouse with office space. Occasionally, the space is somewhat convoluted or has large equipment in the way, making manual efforts more difficult. I am evaluating if the idea of a laser scan or other comparable technology is comparable in price to sending out a guy with a tape measure. That "guy" is normally an engineer, since of course, he has to go to the site and get familiar with it anyway. On a few occasions we have had to send him back out for a missed measurement. And sometimes there were details that would be nice to have had, but we get by without it.
In some ways, a facility scan gives you too much information. Any drawing is a simplification of the real-world object. Walls are nearly always drawn straight, and corners are perpendicular. Though, in the real world, this is not the case... at least not to the precision a CAD system is capable of providing.
My current thinking is that the $7,000 for hardware/software, plus the CAD time to do the work is probably not worth it for us.
I had hoped that Google's project Tango would make an even lower price entry-point, and it would be cheap and easy enough to use, that we might just mail the equipment to the customer, and have them do the scan. Automatic photo-registration to the scan, coupled with a set of VR goggles might have permitted the engineer to take a virtual tour of the facility.
But, I have been told that Tango is just not accurate enough at the warehouse scale. Moreover, the software to do what I want, is still in the world of the university research project, rather than a real-world product.
Any other thoughts on this?
-Joe
