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What’s App-ening?

Matt Miyamoto | ISD Team Manager

As we become more and more mobile and the Internet of Things (IoT) keeps us easily connected, mobile applications are becoming increasingly popular.  Mobile computing power and faster wireless connectivity is allowing us to do more without the need for a PC.

With that in mind, here are a few of the currently available Autodesk mobile applications geared for the AEC industry with a short description of what they do.

AutoCAD Mobile – Create, view, edit and share DWG files through your mobile device.  AutoCAD mobile is currently available on the App Store, Google Play and Windows Store.  Non-Autodesk customers can create a user account to access existing drawings from email or via Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.  Full subscription customers can use existing Autodesk user credentials to access Premium Features and create new drawings through the mobile application.

App Store: https://goo.gl/ig3pAE

Google Play: https://goo.gl/tYXwLJ

Windows Store (Surface Tablet): https://goo.gl/uZEuss

 

ReCap Pro – Made for the Leica BLK360 Scanner, ReCap Pro for mobile is only available from the App Store for iPad and iPad Pro.  This one is specifically for Leica BLK360 users, so if you own one, this is for you.

App Store: https://goo.gl/UjHhvY

 

A360 Mobile App – Share, view and comment 2D and 3D files from AutoCAD (.DWG and .DWF), Navisworks and Revit through your mobile or web connected device.  Sign in with your Autodesk User account to access your files from A360.  A360 Mobile is currently available on the App Store, Google Play, and via the web. 

App Store: https://goo.gl/2H1fKg

Google Play: https://goo.gl/Wt44B9

Web Based: https://goo.gl/hGcXVp

 

BIM 360 Field, Glue & Plan – From the BIM360 family of products, Field, Glue and Plan are all available for iPad on the App Store.  Use your Autodesk User account to access files and information from your BIM360 projects.

BIM360 Field: https://goo.gl/5XDRtw

BIM360 Glue: https://goo.gl/Jy9XPA

BIM360 Plan: https://goo.gl/d5ccag

 

BIM360 Docs – Access BIM360 docs on your mobile devices to view and manage construction plans, models and documents without your PC.  Sign in with your Autodesk User account to access your BIM360 project documents.  Available for iPad and iPhone on the App Store and Android devices on Google Play.

App Store: https://goo.gl/8kneXM

Google Play: https://goo.gl/tPCgqu

 

Autodesk FormIt – For conceptual 3D modeling and design via your mobile device, Autodesk FormIt is available for iPad and web connected devices.  No Autodesk account required for basic sketching and model creation, but an Autodesk account is required to export the model out of the mobile app or web interface.

App Store: https://goo.gl/C9mPYM

Web Based: https://goo.gl/iHyDbc

 

TinkerCAD – For those interested in 3D printing, TinkerCAD offers a quick and easy way to create CAD models that are ready for 3D printing.

Windows Store (Surface Tablet): https://goo.gl/3f1LBZ

 

All mobile applications are free to download, but as you can see from the descriptions, an Autodesk User Account is likely required to access the app or activate full functionality.  In some cases functionality may not be available to those who do not have current Autodesk Subscriptions or product licenses.

Additional information and more apps available from Autodesk can be found here: https://goo.gl/6Xrq9d

 

 

Leica JetStream Explained

Jay Meszar | Reality Capture Services

I love speaking with clients about Leica software.  Showing potential users the ins and outs of Leica Cyclone Register, Survey, Model or even Leica Register 360 will often results in “oohhs and ahhs” over one feature or another.  However, one of the items I struggle to stress the importance of is Leica JetStream.  Why?  Well, the product does exactly what it is built to do, but it doesn’t seem to have that “Whiz Bang” feature that shows the increase in productivity it offers.  It is my believe that the use of JetStream is of paramount importance for users to have a truly good experience, not only with Leica HDS equipment, but also with point clouds in general. 

Let’s begin with what Leica JetStream is.  JetStream is one of the many powerful tools within the Leica suite of software for working with High Definition laser scanning.  The primary function of JetStream is to make the large to very large datasets smaller, faster and more manageable.  Without the use of JetStream, large point cloud datasets (the majority of them) lead to serious performance lag when the point cloud data is being used in other CAD software for existing conditions information to design from.  JetStream does this by compressing the point cloud data (with little to no data loss) so it is more manageable when used in CAD/BIM programs.  After prospective users are told that this is and what it does, I will often hear, “We don’t need that…”.  It’s not until weeks after they actually start their scanning projects that I will receive a call from those same clients asking how they can not only make their datasets faster but manage their location better so the data is accessible to more than one person at a time.  I only ask one question at that time, “Do you remember that JetStream software we talked about?”.  That’s when we go into a more basic explanation (which is where I start the conversation now) that I received from a co-worker.  JetStream is essentially NetFlix for point clouds.  The compression of the point cloud eliminates buffering so we can stream the data more quickly than if the cloud were not compressed. 

Now that we have reviewed what the software does, let’s talk about the difficult part.  That is the licensing for the software and why it is sold in pieces.  There are 4 pieces to this particular software package:

1. JetStream Publisher (or Leica Publisher Pro)
2. JetStream Enterprise
3. JetStream Connector
4. JetStream Viewer

Beginning with JetStream Publisher, it permits a user to send the point cloud to JetStream Enterprise Server.  One would think that this is a given with the Enterprise Server, but Leica has decided to sell it separately for now.  More on why the software is sold separately later.

JetStream Enterprise is our storage container that can be centrally located on a server on an organizations network.  This permits all potential consumers of the point cloud data to access the data across the network without having to store the data on a portable hard drive and copy it from machine to machine. 

A JetStream Connector license provides access to the stored data from a supported CAD environment.  For example: A civil engineer who is using Autodesk Civil 3D, might want to access scan data of a roadway or bridge to create a survey or a surface.  They can accomplish this with a Connector license and Cloudworx for AutoCAD. 

What if I have a project manager who is not well versed in any CAD environment and really doesn’t have a good background with technology?  That is where JetStream Viewer can be deployed in an office. I know what you are thinking, Oh great!!  Another software license and more money to spend to get up and running.   Well that might just be the best part of the viewer, it doesn’t cost a thing.  JetStream Viewer is free and can be installed on any system.  It connects directly to the JetStream Server or can consume a .JSV file exported from the Enterprise Server or a registration software. 

I know what you are thinking, so many software licenses for each user in my company is going to make my company broke!  If you don’t pay attention to anything else in this post, read this next few sentences.  Many times, a company will import data, register it and then pass it on for CAD users to use.  In many instances, a company can purchase one license of Publisher, one license of JetStream Server and then purchase a connector license for however many people will need to access the data at the same time.  Remember, the licensing works just like many other shared software licenses where if a user is in the software and then exits, the license becomes available to someone else to use.  Or, more simply put, you only need as many licenses as would be necessary for the maximum number of concurrent users, not one for every user that may use the software at any given time. 

I hope this helps clarify how Leica JetStream works and is licensed so you too can enter the world of using JetStream to make your data run much faster in a CAD environment. 

Creating a UCS in Leica Cyclone Register 360

Jay Meszar | Reality Capture Services

3D Scanning is becoming more of a mainstay in today’s engineering projects.  The process of 3D scanning is becoming easier, as such, many firms often think they can successfully utilize this technology without proper training.  By doing so, they often don’t learn some of the important ins and outs of how to accomplish the little things that ultimately make a big difference in how they work.

Probably one of the most asked questions I get about taking a point cloud into CAD software is “How do I line up my scan with my CAD project?”.  To provide an example, I would say the simple answer to this is very much like using AutoCAD which is to set a coordinate system or create and manage a UCS (User Coordinate System).  There are two ways to manage and create coordinates of a point cloud in Leica's Cyclone Register 360.  This post will cover one of those methods, because I believe it is the most common method people will use.

The image below shows the beginning layout of an office project.  If everything was measured correctly, we should be able to line up our point cloud with the linework in the AutoCAD drawing.

IMAGE1.jpg

Notice how the drawing is rotated to be square with the bottom of the drawing area in AutoCAD.  However, when I look at the scan data, the data is rotated based on where the scanner started its first scan. 

 

IMAGE2.jpg

To fix this so the two line up in AutoCAD, I need to create a UCS in Cyclone Register 360 and reimport the data into AutoCAD.  Of course, this can be tricky because I need to make sure the origin location is in the same location.  The issue with this is that we often think we just need to rotate the scan and everything will be fine.  We need to keep in mind that our project can be at a location other than 0,0,0 and that is where we need to be careful when trying to rotate the point cloud.  The cloud can be rotated by selecting a scan location (highlighted in red in the image above) and creating a UCS. 

 

IMAGE3.jpg

This process is very easy but if we look at the white circle with the plus in it, that is the scan’s 0,0,0 origin point.  Importing that scan into AutoCAD will place the white plus at 0,0,0 within AutoCAD.  So, in order for us to make this all line up, we need to get the coordinates from AutoCAD and set them appropriately in Cyclone Register 360.  Using the ID command in AutoCAD, I can identify the X,Y,Z coordinates that I can use in Cyclone Register 360. 

 

IMAGE4.JPG

Once I have these coordinates, I simply copy and paste them into Cyclone Register 360.  I like to give my coordinate system a name rather than accepting the default.  It is important to note, if you are updating the coordinate system in Cyclone Register 360, the data needs to be republished if it has previously been published. 

IMAGE5.jpg

Now that the data is in Leica JetStream, it can be imported into a Leica CloudWorx project.  In this example, I am importing into Leica CloudWorx for AutoCAD.  Using the Open JetStream button on the Leica ClouWorx ribbon panel, and then clicking the ellipsis button to select the project (already done in the image below).  Notice the named coordinate system is selected under Coordinate System in Point Source. 

IMAGE6.jpg

The result:

IMAGE7.jpg

Introducing the RTC360

Leica Geosystems has changed the high definition laser scanning workflow forever!  If you are not familiar with the world of high definition laser scanning, you may not understand how much the June 13^th announcement has changed the scanning workflow for the better.  Let me explain for those who are not familiar.  The current workflow consists of a laser scanning technician traveling out to the scan site, placing the scanner in a location and running a scan.  When a scan finishes, he equipment is picked up and moved to a location where similar features can be seen from one location to another.  This goes on and on until the entire project is scanned.  The user then has to go back to the office to register or “stitch together” the data so make one large point cloud.  This process can take hours depending on the project. 

The announcement of the RTC360 has changed the game.  The RTC360 has the technology to know where it is in relation to scans taken around it.  You might be wondering how this is possible.  Well, Leica has created VIS (Visual Inertial System) technology that is able to track the movement of the scanner position relative to the previous setup in real time.  I have had the opportunity to see the system work in real time and it is nothing more than amazing!  This system is capable of aligning the scans in the scanner so when the data is brought over to the computer, it is already registered together.  Of course, this is technology and we all know technology can fail at times.  The worst fail I was able to witness with this particular technology was that the data wasn’t registered together as tightly as it could have been.  In a case like this, we can tighten the registration in Register 360 like we always have.  The difference here is that even if you weren’t on the project scanning, the data is already aligned and just needs to be nudged a little bit to tighten the registration so we don’t have to know what the project looks like. 

So maybe you’re reading this and thinking to yourself, how is this different from my current scanner?  Well, depending on the scanner, the automatic registration isn’t available on any other scanner on the market.  This alone is a benefit to the RTC360.  Another reason I hold this new system in high regard is the ability to scan using a tablet (Android or IOS) with Cyclone Field.  The Cyclone Field app can be used to run the scanner, look at the registered data and eventually send a TruView off to stakeholders without ever having to go back to the office! 

I can imagine the questions people are going to ask about this scanner so I am hoping to answer a few of them here in this post. 

Why would Leica put this scanner on the market to compete with the BLK360 and P series scanners?

The simple answer here is that they haven’t put this scanner on the market to complete with either of these scanners.  The BLK360 is an entry level scanner that has a price that reflects its place in the market.  The RTC360 will not be a $20k solution when it is released in July.  The RTC360 is a more powerful solution that the BLK360 and will command a higher price tag.

What about the P Series scanners?

The only fair comparison between the P Series and the RTC360 is comparing the P30 to the RTC360.  They have about the same range and capability but the RTC360 is not upgradable to a P40.  If we compare to the P40, we are not in the same ball park.  The RTC360 is not meant to take the place of this survey grade scanner.  The P40 has a longer range and higher point density than the RTC360.

Where does the RTC360 fit?

The RTC 360 is a mid-range scanner that is capable of scanning up to 130m.  I personally see this as an excellent solution for all interior scanning purposes and some outdoor scanning. 

When and where can I get my RTC360?

You can purchase your RTC360 beginning in the middle of July and currently expect to take delivery towards the end of August, beginning of September.  Contact your IMAGINiT sales representative for more information going forward. 

See a video of the Leica RTC360 in action.

Learn more about the Leica RTC, including seeing a brochure/specifications.

Looking for a Lightweight and Accurate Reality Capture Solution? Meet the Leica BLK360.

If your firm has been considering purchasing reality capture equipment, but you’ve been deterred by the size and price of the hardware. The new Leica BLK360 scanner changes the game and makes reality capture more accessible than ever before.

While the BLK360 is compact – about the size of a soda can, it provides impressive accuracy such as:

• Gathers 360,000 points per second with selectable resolution settings.
• Offers a range of 60 meters with 4 mm accuracy.
• The BLK360 not only has a LiDAR sensor, it also includes infrared sensors which enable thermal imaging and 360 degree cameras.

Excitement about this new scanner is growing – and due to high levels of pre-orders, scanners are expected to ship this August.
Gathering and using data from the BLK360 scanner couldn’t be easier. Autodesk’s ReCap 360 Pro Mobile edition serves as the controller for the scanner. It runs on an iPad and registers scans in real-time. The resulting data can be transferred easily to any Autodesk software or uploaded to Autodesk’s cloud services for sharing. 

Learn more about the Leica BLK360.

On May 5, IMAGINiT is hosting a free overview webcast about this exciting new scanner. Save your seat now.

To help customers get up to speed on Leica BLK360 and Autodesk ReCap 360, we also offer a service called BLK360 SmartStart. The BLK360 SmartStart educates field and office personnel on set up of the scanner, best practices for field collection, the ReCap360 mobile interface, and more.

Is it worth it?

Kevin Breslin | Services Manager

Is it worth it . . . ?

The question is asked either out loud or to one’s self when deciding whether or not to invest in an upgrade. At one time, I was on the other side of the fence in the engineering world where that question was literally asked many times. Now that I’ve seen this from both the customer’s side as well as the services provider’s side, I have a better and deeper understanding of what this really means and what the considerations and implications are.

So, what is the answer?

Let’s start by defining what the “Upgrade” is.

In the case of working in the land development/civil engineering/survey (infrastructure) industry, the process of an upgrade in most people’s minds involves purchasing and installing new software and acquiring training. This is what owners or managers (a.k.a. decision makers) usually think of when they ask the question. And while this may be the first thing people think of, you’ll see that there are other equally important factors we need to consider as well.

With regard to software upgrades, most simply gravitate to the next numbered version of the software they’re using today. It seems logical that the latest and greatest is the version of the software with the highest number, right? Well, not always. While the latest version of the software you use now in most cases is the most sophisticated, it may not be the only choice or even the right choice.

Because the tools, technologies and services associated to the land development industry evolve over time, the need for different and sometimes unknown tools may be the necessary key to success. Using the Survey industry as an example, in just the last 20 years both the tools used as well as the services provided have expanded considerably.   Simply using the latest version total station and its proprietary desktop software (as you may have used 10 years ago) will likely not allow you to engage in many new technologies and services. Today, surveyors are using robotic totals stations, GPS, ground-based HDS 3D scanners, UAV for photogrammetry, etc. . . . Simply having the latest desktop software for your total station will not be sufficient if you intend to provide 3D laser scan clouds as a deliverable.

With training in mind, the answer in most cases is “yes” there is absolutely value in technical training for designers and engineers. As with any technology, knowledge of how to use the tools of the trade to perform your work is crucial. There are few things more distressing in our industry than seeing designers/engineers using modern, state of the art BIM technology such as AutoCAD Civil 3D, in the same way they were using AutoCAD to draft (i.e. electric pencil) 15 years ago! It’s like putting a Yugo engine in a Ferrari.

So, how do you really get the most value (ROI/bang for the buck) return on your upgrade investments?

First we need to identify and understand a few other important aspects:

What type of design product(s) does the organization need to create?

This is not as simple as it sounds. If for example it’s a multi-discipline consulting engineering organization, this could range from plan sets of conventional engineering and construction documents printed on paper or exported to an electronic document (DWF, PDF). Or, it could be intelligent BIM models of site designs ready for integration with other BIM technologies such as Revit. Or even design surface models which are going to be used for automated machine grading systems.

Knowing what your actual organization needs are is key. You can’t set a path to a destination if you don’t know where the destination is. You need to ensure you’re using the right tools for the job before you jump into an out-of-the-box training class or simply install the latest version of your favorite CAD software. Also, while identifying what your deliverable needs are for today is important, it’s also important to consider what your future needs may be. This is obviously more difficult to do. However you can take steps to “future proof” your business by staying plugged in to evolving industry trends. In many cases the software and hardware technology leaders will show their hand well in advance of new technologies gaining footing in a given industry.

What do your designers/engineers actually know now, and how are they using design technology today?

To quantify this in a measurable way, you need to assess the user’s knowledge of the software they’re using today, as well as with the tools you’ve determined are needed to ultimately achieve your intended goals as an organization for the near future.

Do you have the necessary infrastructure (workstations, network, etc.) to use the needed software?

This question is easy to understand, however it’s often a question that CFO’s, owners (i.e. holders of the purse strings) would like to avoid dealing with. Who can blame them? It’s never cheap and always involves a degree of disruption when being implemented. That said, at some point it is unavoidable.

Even technology neophytes understand that a 7-year-old PC is not state of the art. If the determination is made that your organization needs to use powerful, modern design technology software to be successful, it’s inevitable that the subject of hardware, workstations, servers, WAN, etc., is addressed and that it meets the needs of your design software. This includes the network environment where users can effectively collaborate on projects.

Now that we’ve dug in a bit deeper, the question has evolved beyond just technical education and installing the latest version of your current design software, and has grown substantially. This is usually the point where many get overwhelmed and shelve the idea until it becomes an urgent problem, at which point they often scramble and make rash decisions that usually fail to prepare them for success.

Sadly over the years, I’ve seen many times where organizations have put off upgrading (training, updated software, hardware, etc.) until it becomes an absolutely necessity that they must deal with to continue to win business. At this point, most have not planned or budgeted for the time and expense needed to do things properly, and end up cutting a lot of important corners in the process. The end result is often frustration and, many times, a lesser degree of productivity than they had before the upgrades. This brings me to the last point which is the need for planning.

Taking into account all of the variables and factors involved in investing in upgrading, a plan to do so is a critical factor to ensure a successful implementation with minimal productivity disruptions, and the ability to quickly and efficiently achieve your intended goals.

Side note: At IMAGINiT, this whole process (in part or in whole) is one of the fastest growing services we provide to our customers and is a big part of our daily lives. We have the benefit of the aggregate of the acquired experiences of not only our technical team from all over the US and Canada, but also the lessons learned by our customers who have experienced failed and successful implementations. We know what works, and equally important, we know what doesn’t work. I’ll save the services pitch for another post but suffice it to say if you’re contemplating this process, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We can help. Back to the subject at hand. . .

We all know the saying “Failing to plan, is planning to fail”. And while it’s a cliché, it is for the most part accurate.

Once you’ve gone through the other steps noted and have identified everything that needs to be done, putting a plan, budget and schedule together is the best way to start the journey.

In summary, when you ask the question “Is it worth it” . .
. . to upgrade
. . to train your team
. . to update hardware
. . to evaluate and refine your standards and workflows. . . .
the short answer is, it depends.

It depends if your organization has the necessary tools, knowledge and environment to deliver the product(s) needed to be successful and competitive within your market. If the answer is “no”, you need to get started sooner than later. You don’t want to be one of the “failure case studies” cited as the justification that another organization should plan to do it right.

 

Targets? We Don't Need Targets!

Last year when Leica introduced Cyclone 9.0, they created what I believe to be an amazing feature that allows users to quickly and accurately register their point clouds.  In the past, registering point clouds accurately without the use of targets proved to be long and difficult process.  Often the time spent during the registration process became a task that would have to be repeated over and over because the registration was out of the allowable tolerances.  Leica introduced Visual Registration in the 9.0 version and I believe this is still a ground breaking feature that no other scanning software has been able to match.  

Let's take a look deeper inside this feature to see how it works.  We start by importing our scans from the scanner in the usual manner.  The process for creating a registration is also no different than it was in past versions.  However, when creating constraints, instead of using the targets or the old cloud to cloud method with the wizard, we can create constraints by placing the clouds on top of each other.  Using the registration window, users need to select two ScanWorlds by clicking and holding the CTRL key on each.

 

After the ScanWorlds are created, select Visual Registration from the menu at the top of the screen.  We then select Visual Alignment to see the following picture.

 

The default tool in this window permits us to align the two different clouds in a plan or XY view.  We are able to move and rotate the cloud as necessary.  After they are aligned in plan view, simply use the vertical alignment tool to align the vertical.

Plan View Aligned

Elevation View Aligned

Notice the top right corners of each view.  They show the tools used to align the clouds.  Once the clouds are aligned, select the tools menu and select Constrain.  After the clouds are registered we can look at possible error across the cloud.  In this case, we are outdoors with lots of trees (which are blowing around) so the max allowable error will be a bit higher (showing as 1.2").  

  

The next time you go to the field, scan a project and don't realize until your return to the office that you forgot to acquire your targets, don't plan a return trip to do so. Visual registration is a reliable and accurate tool available.

Reality Capture: You’ve Gathered the Data, Now How Do You Share It?

Reality capture is a powerful way to show existing conditions in digital form. Perhaps you use laser scanning to capture information about the interior of buildings or unmanned aerial vehicles to scan building sites. Regardless of what technology you use, the end result is the same – you have a point cloud that most likely takes up a large amount of storage space and is tough to share with internal staff and external users.

Some teams resort to carrying a hard drive with the point cloud around the office, as a way to share the data. Cumbersome at best, and totally inefficient if team members are not in the same office. Fortunately, effective solutions to these challenges now exist.

1. Leica JetStream. This point cloud data management solution compresses point clouds so file sizes are five to ten times smaller. With JetStream, point clouds are lightweight enough to store and share on internal networks. Multiple users can access a point cloud simultaneously and the compressed point cloud data renders much more rapidly. Point clouds are more usable firm-wide and project time can be reduced by as much as half.
   
   
2. Leica TruView. This technology offers a web-enabled panoramic point cloud viewer. Imagine sharing a URL of a point cloud with clients or colleagues and giving them the ability to use Google Street View type navigation to move through the point cloud. With TruView, users can view, pan, zoom, measure, and markup point cloud data over the web. Point cloud information can be accessed from any browser and from mobile devices.

Easy sharing of reality capture data dramatically increases its value. The new technologies that make this possible are exciting and IMAGINiT Technologies is excited to share them with you. If you have questions about these or any other reality capture tools, feel free to contact us.