Do you own a scanner? Does it generate more work?

You have to market the heck out of something like that. You will need dedicated staff to fly around the world scanning. A large enough company can handle it, but for smaller folks a good gps/robot is a better choice. I've seen several small companies purchase these and they just sit because its a major investment in training, marketing and travel.

2 years ago we purchased a wide-format printer/ copier/ scanner. The cost was an investment and none of us were really in need of large sheet scanning, but it seemed like an ok idea.

We use it almost daily now. One of our clients has several right-of-way agents that work all over the State. These agents have the ability to chose from a list of surveying firms they can shovel work toward. Having the scanner available for them has enhanced our relationship with several of them. These folks live out of their truck and run constantly. The bathroom, coffee pot, conference table and scanner make the clients feel at home with their "one stop shopping". If it hasn't generated work, it sure has enhanced the existing work.

We also have a large number of files with older prints and plats. Copying these for field use rather than sending the original to the field is also a big plus. Scanning record prints for email purposes is also great.

Long story short: we use it all the time. It's nice to have around and has saved us a lot of time. If you have the means and opportunity to invest in one, you probably won't be disappointed.

Hello paden,

Will it work if I open the lid, push it over on it's edge and point it at the street???

"Scan the bloody street damn-it!"

Thanks rambleon.

> Hello paden,
>
> Will it work if I open the lid, push it over on it's edge and point it at the street???
>
> "Scan the bloody street damn-it!"

😛

Haven't used an MS50 so I cant speak to that, but the C10 works great for top soil piles (vol calcs) basin as-builts and anything "bare dirt". Once u get into grass its useless for topo. Really depends on the type of work you do.

It seems like the MS50 has pretty limited applications from a scanning standpoint...

Guess I was groggy..

> > Hello paden,
> >
> > Will it work if I open the lid, push it over on it's edge and point it at the street???
> >
> > "Scan the bloody street damn-it!"
>
> 😛

That's hilarious! If you'll note the time on my post...it was awful early.

I am gonna try and drag it out in the parking lot to see if it will "scan"...:pinch:

I've got a Trimble TX5. I bought it to generate some work with it specificaly but also to use it in my daily routine.
I've done some archeologic scanning but most of the time use it as an add-on for demolition permits, as-built measurements,...
The problem over here is that architects don't even know this technology and are only interested in 2d drawings.
I've invested in the scanner and Pointsense add-ons but feel like its money in the drain.

Bought one in 2008. Rent one when you need it. Get up to speed with 3D and point clouds but rent the hardware.

The major market for scanning seems to be Architects doing BIM. The market for scanned topos is limited.

Guess I was groggy..since the hijack is already in progress

Nevertheless, I also highly recommend a large format multi-function machine for any office larger than a solo operation. That and a real office grade multi-function for small format. They will pay off in the long run.

> It seems like the MS50 has pretty limited applications from a scanning standpoint...
I think that the virtue of the MS50 is that it gets you in the scanning door for a small extra investment. I would do a great job a things where great detail is not needed, such as spoil pile volumes. But if you want to do those highly detailed point clouds, not so much.

I would caution you that there are going to be a lot of 'advancements' in the scanning industry over the next couple of years.

Based on the stuff I have been shown recently, I am guessing the price of scanners is going to drop 25% per year for 'like featured' devices. (In reality the capabilities will increase 50% and the price will remain nearly the same.) I pretty much travel the world looking at survey equipment and everywhere I go I am shown UAV's and scanning equipment. (Some of the more interesting scanning equipment I have seen lately is optical image based too.)

We are still on the quickly rising innovation curve for terrestrial scanning. I would recommend that if you have an immediate long term need, that will pay for the scanner in two years or less, that you go ahead and purchase.

Otherwise, I would rent for a while. It will cost a boat-load extra, but if the price of scanners drops 50% later this year, or a scanner is released that is 10X faster; you will want to update devices.

Actually that advice is probably good for most survey equipment that has batteries. It is kind of like buying laptops. You need a new one every two or three years, just because the new ones are so much faster, smaller, more capable and have some new feature that you can hardly live without.

M

We are a small company heading towards making it work. We purchased mobile and static for one project with the hope that we expand to other markets. I am working through the adjustments and we hired a fellow to work through the extractions. I have a handle on the easy situations and I am learning to adjust the more difficult ones...

I did just scan a degrading coastal bank. It was good to not have to stomp on the bank to get the shots. If you want to see, there is a download here. There are links to some viewers too.

I did just purchase Global Mapper - it works great.

I use Carlson Point Cloud. They are working to upgrade the cloud engine for the 2016 release.

The hired fellow is using TopoDOT.

We did a lot of research before we purchased ours and we bought one that fit our needs. We utilize it on a daily basis and when the project warrants. I would not say it has "generated" more work, but we are able to offer additional services and help with the projects that we have. The way I look at it, the scanner is just another tool in the surveyors tool box. We do not do industrial scanning, the closest we get are pump stations, sewer stations, and water treatment plants.

We had the MS50 demoed at the office and really liked it.

I think the neatest feature for us was being able to use the robot dc to see the image the instrument was looking at. I didn't buy one and the reasons I had were
1. It weighted too much to use as a robot on a day to day job.

2. I can barely figure out how to use the Leica software for the GS14/CS14 and do not want to even try to think about using their scanning processing software.

3. I can get a couple of standard robots for the price of the MS50.

Do you see anything coming that we can use to scan the inside of a sewer structure for pipe sizes and depths?

Yes and we now have our own scanning department and crews plus full time techs and 3d modeling guys. Looking at adding another scanner in the very near future.

At the start, no we didnt have alot of work "scanner work". Took time (probably almost a year) of marketing, scans, etc. for what we consider a full time scanning only job. Alot of small companies cant absorb that type of loss. But the key is creativity. When you stop looking at a job as a scan job or conventional job, then the entire landscape changes. We now turn a nice profit with our geospatial department and its been a constant growth after figuring out a marketing strategy that works!

I can remember a while back seeing a price for a Topcon PS and Faro Scanner coming in at about $80-90K here in Australia. Out of interest I investigated the cost of an Leica MS50 last year at a industry field day and it came to about the same price.

Although the MS50 was very impressive, I'd shop around for a competitively priced scanner if you were to go down this path as it can scan at a higher rate and can be used by whichever crew needs it on the day. If the price was significantly lower now for the MS50 you could maybe justify the purchase.