Dot3D at AKS Engineering & Forestry
AKS Engineering & Forestry Boosts Manhole Survey Efficiency with Dot3D and RealSense™
AKS Engineering & Forestry, a leading civil engineering firm in Oregon and Washington, has revolutionized its topographic survey process for manholes by integrating Dot3D software with the RealSense™ D455 depth camera. This innovative approach provides a permanent digital record, significantly reduces measurement errors, and streamlines internal operations, while also eliminating the need for tedious manual notetaking and costly field crew re-dispatches.
The Challenge: Time-Consuming Manhole Invert Surveys
Before adopting Dot3D, AKS relied on traditional methods and a FARO Focus® Premium scanner for as-built scans of drainage structures. While effective, this process was time-consuming due to extensive setup, terrestrial scanning challenges, and large data files that were cumbersome to manage. George McGahran, Scanning Lead at AKS, recognized the need for a faster, more efficient solution, particularly for capturing manhole invert elevations—a crucial data point for designing new drainage systems and public infrastructure. Inaccurate or unclear manual measurements often led to errors, requiring crews to return to sites, incurring additional costs and delays.
The Solution: Mobile, Affordable 3D Scanning
George McGahran discovered Dot3D and the RealSense™ camera, drawn by its appealing price point and a compelling case study on DotProduct's website. The compact and mobile form factor of the RealSense™ camera, coupled with Dot3D's intuitive software, offered a promising alternative.
AKS developed a streamlined hardware setup to solve the problem efficiently: The RealSense™ camera is mounted onto a bubble level, which is then attached to an 8.5-foot survey prism pole. This ensures the camera's outward pointing Z-axis is perfectly aligned straight-down at the start of each scan, helping to align the resulting data and produce accurate measurements easily. While initially considering a tablet for viewing, they found a phone mounted at the bottom of the pole provided sufficient feedback to ensure data capture from above.
Each scan starts with 3D capture of the area around the manhole first, which serves as a critical reference plane for the invert measurements (depth below grade at the bottom of the drainage pipe). Next, the camera is gradually lowered down until the bottom of the pipe is within its view. This alone is enough to pull the invert measurements from, but in most cases the camera is also spun around for a few more seconds, creating as complete a 3D record of the underground space as possible. Then the camera is pulled up, and the crew is ready to move on to the next manhole.
This strategic field process helps makes the measurement process remarkably easy back in the office. Each Dot3D scan is imported directly into Trimble Business Center (TBC) in LAS format, where the AKS team can easily pull the necessary measurements right from the point cloud.
Key Benefits and Results
Ease of Use and Workflow Simplification
The Dot3D system has significantly simplified AKS's manhole survey workflow. Survey technicians can now digitally measure from uploaded scans, drastically reducing the errors associated with manual note-taking, such as illegible handwriting or misinterpretations. "This digital model eliminates the need to track down field crews or interpret unclear photos, especially for unusual structures or poor lighting conditions," explains George McGahran.
Permanent Digital Record and Enhanced Data Reliability
The 3D scanning data provides a permanent digital record of the structure's condition at the time of the survey. This digital archive is invaluable for internal operations, ensuring that precise invert elevations and pipe sizes are readily available for future design projects, preventing interference with existing systems.
Consistent Accuracy and Cost Savings
George McGahran conducted extensive tests, comparing the RealSense™ camera (equipped with Dot3D) to their existing FARO® scanner and traditional manual dip measurements. Across 50 measurements at different sites, the RealSense™ camera's measurements were consistent and well within acceptable tolerance levels, with varying differences in just fractions of a inch compared to the traditional methods. George also notes that digitally captured measurements are "likely more consistent than field measurements."
While the field scanning time is comparable to or slightly quicker than manual methods, the office-side measurement collection from the scans does add some time. However, this is more than offset by the reduction in errors and the elimination of needing to manually input data from notes into Autodesk® Civil 3D® surveys. Crucially, this prevents costly re-sends of field crews back to sites to capture missed or unclear data.
Low Price Point and Scalability
The affordable price point of the Dot3D and RealSense™ solution has made 3D scanning accessible for AKS. This cost-effectiveness has paved the way for potential expansion, with aspirations for every AKS office to be equipped with at least one kit. Dot3D Prime (required for use with RealSense™ cameras) is currently available for only $999 USD / year, and the RealSense™ D455 stereo depth camera starts at just $419 USD (or $895 with custom calibration and mounting components from DotProduct).
Looking Ahead
AKS Engineering & Forestry is enthusiastic about the future of 3D scanning within their operations. The success of Dot3D with RealSense™ for manhole invert capture has demonstrated the immense value of accessible, mobile, and accurate 3D data capture. AKS is actively exploring expanded use cases and is keen to share their captured scan data and insights to further demonstrate the power of this technology.
About AKS Engineering & Forestry
AKS Engineering & Forestry (AKS) is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm that provides comprehensive engineering, surveying, planning, and forestry services. They serve both public and private clients across the Pacific Northwest, with a commitment to creating sustainable and innovative solutions. Their team of experts works collaboratively to deliver a wide range of projects, from large-scale infrastructure and residential developments to intricate land-use planning and environmental restoration. Their core values emphasize client satisfaction, technical excellence, and environmental stewardship.
About DotProduct LLC
Since 2012, DotProduct LLC has been a leading provider of portable, high-quality 3D scanning solutions for professionals in various industries, including architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), forensics, and industrial design. Their innovative mobile solutions, powered by their flagship Dot3D scanning application, enable users to capture accurate, colorized point cloud data in real-time, directly in the field. With a focus on speed, ease of use, and data quality, DotProduct simplifies complex 3D data capture workflows, allowing users to quickly document spaces and objects for planning, analysis, and as-built documentation.
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