Laser Measuring of Plant Pipes?

[cobalt]

Does anyone here have experience with using a laser measuring device to walk down a plant to obtain pipe dimensions? Not for doing a full survey, but for getting spot dimensions on specific pipes. The company I work for manufactures pipe mounted equipment. I am looking for a device that a Project Manager can use to obtain dimensional info (distance from "that elbow flange there to this coupling here") on a pipe that is traversing an angle 10 feet overhead, for example. The current method is to use a tape measure and take photos, but often pipes are inaccessible. I've been looking at the pythagorum/triangulation features on devices by Leica, Bosch, etc. and it appears to be an ideal solution, but I'd like some practical advice and brand recommendations, if you have any. Thanks for your time.

 

[dik]

Use them often (have a Hilti one)for pipe locations (from floor slab and in plan) and for electrical cable tray stuff... they work really well. I picked up the 'foot' attachment for my Hilti device, else I had to keep getting on the slab to take the measurement from.

Dik

 

[cobalt]

Thanks, dik. Is it easy to measure an angled distance using the pythagorean function? Do you have to use a tripod or can you just hold it in your hand?

 

[stanier]

The wholeplant can be scanned to within 1mm if you have the right scanner. The image can then be converted to a 3D model, developed into a wireframe and then used for FEA.

Go to these guys at

http://www.wysiwyg3d.com.

they are base din Australia but have contqacts through out the world.

Last night at a presentation my son's image was scanned into the computer in about 3 minutes. Car bodies are scanned in and visual effects made from that for movies.

The real world is taken and put onto a computer as a virtual image.

 

[dik]

The Hilti specs indicate it is precise to 3mm in 200m. I've not had a need to check it, but within the office, it will duplicate a distance within 1/32".

For triangulation, I hold it against a fixed point (column, wall, etc.)... after a few drinks, I may be able to hold it steady without a support... but not sure. I use the Sine Law and Cosine Law often for calculating distances.

Dik

 

[racookpe1978]

Haven't used the Hilti instrument (for single pipes). WIll check it out tomorrow at the local dealer.

CSA (Marietta, GA) does full plant (or single room) full building laser scans for a complete 3D model of the whole area or whole room, but they would have to post-process their results to give you "single pipe" results.

 

[cobalt]

Dik - Thanks for the info. I tried to come up with a trig drinking joke but I couldn't find an angle (I'm a simple gal).
But I will suggest to the Project Managers that consuming alcohol while using the device may help with accuracy

stanier & racookpe1978 - I've heard of the laser scanning technology you mention but I think it would be overkill for the small amount of data we need to collect. However, I am waiting for the day when we can put on our 3D laser scanning goggles and walk thru the plant, while the point cloud data is wirelessly transmitted to our CAD software!