In production environments where complex piping structures are in place 3-D planning and design of alterations to the plant make the alterations as efficient as possible. Pipes may be be colored according to what is being carried within them, for example gas or liquid, hot or under high pressure, the addition of the color option enables the user to more easily identify the correct pipe section from the scan data. The colorized point cloud can be seen in this screen shot from FARO Scene software. When a new product is introduced the entire pipe system has to be replaced. If this is first documented in point cloud data then potential collisions of new structures can be assessed and the installation can be planned based on actual existing structures minimising any surprises where existing structures differ from the plans. In potentially hazardous environments where special safety training is required minimal disruption to the working area should be of high consideration. The Laser Scanner LS with its "phase shift" technology is up to 100 times faster than traditional "time-of-flight" based scanners. This enables the user to quickly capture the data required, also the software requires the user to merely set the scan parameters and with the click of one button the scan begins. This ease of use means that the scanner can be used with minimal training and minimises disruption to the production environment.
