Faro Focus 70 or Leica BLK360

The BLK360 is not very good.

I love my BLK360

@dougie What kind of applications are you using it for?

@antcrook

I've only had it for about a month, but I think I will use it for just about anything except boundary; and then it will help locate fences and and anything else along the property line.

I recently used it to pick up some concrete for a site plan I'm working on. Normally, I would've made a sketch in the field book and used a tape to measure it up. I set up the scanner in the front and 5 minutes later it was done. set it up in the back and it was done in 5 minutes again. Less than 15 minutes on site and I'm done. Took it back to the office and was able to get the information I needed off the tablet and added it to my auto-cad drawing. Maybe only saved 15 minutes, but now I have an electronic file I can use anywhere, with a lot more data then a in a field book sitting on a shelf...

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@dougie

Thanks for that.?ÿ If you don't mind sharing, what's your general workflow w/ it??ÿ What software are you using??ÿ Are you using one of the following?

-Leica Cyclone FIELD 360

-Recap

-Matterport

-Cloudworx for AutoCAD

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It seems like it has the potential to easily supplement traditional surveys.?ÿ In Ontario, we often do what's called a Surveyor's Real Property Report (SRPR) for older single detached lots in the older parts of cities.?ÿ We have to tie in the fencing, eaves, detailed building facades, sheds, etc. and all the other encroachments that spring up over time.?ÿ I could see the BLK 360 helping w/ that--I just cannot see how one could easily supplement the total station and GNSS work.

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I (briefly) used Cyclone back w/ an HDS Scanstation 2 and the thought of doing all the modeling I had to do w/ that for encroachments--well, I'd be better off just lasering things.?ÿ I'm not sure if that says more about my ham-fisting of Cyclone or of Cyclone's steep learning curve--or both.

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If there's an easy way I can set 3 or 4 control points for it to scan in, have the BLK360 do its thing while I carry on surveying the roadway, and then easily integrate the scans w/ the traditional survey work..........well, then I'm all ears on the BLK 360.?ÿ But everything I have heard scuttle-butt wise on it up to this point is that it's an alpha attempt and to wait out for version 2 or to look at some other SLAM based scanner for more money.

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Your first-hand experience is greatly appreciated.

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EDIT:

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Found the other piece of software that looks interesting to me--Atlas SCC

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Tree info video:

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3d topo info for a single lot:

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Using that software w/ a SLAM scanner could completely change someone's workflow.?ÿ Costing vs time in the field then comes into play.

@dougie

What kind of distances are you measuring, I have found that anything past 10m with the BLK360 is junk. Just what i have seen. Have you tried to cloud to cloud register multiple scans at distances greater than 10m?

Trimble SX10. Much more versatile, scanning is plenty good enough, no need to register scans, data is super clean. Plus it's a fully functional robot that can measure distances reflectorless out to almost 2,000'.

@lee-d

My thoughts as well. Not only is the price point better than a full robotic package plus the Faro/Leica, but both the field and office workflows are already integrated into the typical surveying routines. No need to purchase or learn an additional software package, or add processing steps to pull the two datasets together. Not to mention calibration and maintenance of two separate instruments.

The resect routine with integrated GNSS is flipping awesome for pulling in those one-off scans across the jobsite. And if you want to use it like a traditional scanner, it will do just fine for cloud-to-cloud registration too, again without the need for another program, and as Lee mentioned, it will measure faaaaaar away.

That being said, the biggest stumbling block to integrating scanning is knowing how and when to use it, and use it efficiently. Some folks can make the separate TS + scanner package work, and work exceedingly well, if you want to go that route.

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I wouldn't go with either of them. If you want to move on a traverse it'd be wiser to get a scanner with that ability such Z+F Imager 5016 or Leica P40. With these scanners you'd have a broader reach than Faro M70 or Leica BLK360. You can also consider SLAM scanners for outdoor surveys as they can give you lots of flexibility on timing and cost. We've used PX-80 for that.?ÿ

The Trimble X7 also looks like it could work. Anybody tried this scanner?

@antcrook

We just got one in another office, but I have not personally gotten my hands on it. Trying to steal it away for a couple of test runs. Reports from former coworkers are all highly positive.

@antcrook

What I like about this one is the dual axis compensator. The Leica BLk360 and RTC360 don't give you level scans.

@totalsurv It is also self calibrating

I ended up buying the Trimble X-7

Will you run it from a tablet or from the TSC7?

what office software will you use?

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@christ-lambrecht

The scanner comes with Trimble's Perspective software which runs on any Windows 10 tablet. Trimble recommends their T10 tablet, but I already had a Dell Latitude 7220 rugged tablet which seems to work well with the software. If you already have TBC you can get the scanning module (+$2,500) which has some nice features like pointcloud classification and automatic line work and feature extraction. I am currently using it with Civil 3D, but it does not have anywhere near as many functions as TBC.

@antcrook I hope we made a good decision. I also bought the X7.