RICK DUNLAP - Vice President, Technical Services, BrandSafway
Football coaches diagram plays for a reason: Visual elements improve communication and enhance retention.
Similarly, a turnaround or maintenance team - operations managers, contractors, soft crafts and skilled trades can benefit from visual technologies that create 3-D models and virtual plans. By experiencing the design and work scope, the team can reduce risks, improve timelines and save costs.
The 3-D services available now combine data from terrestrial laser scanning, aerial/mobile LiDAR (light detection and ranging), photogrammetry and thermography with modeling software to create an "as-is" data set - a huge advantage when facilities differ from their as-built configuration.
Valued as a standalone approach, 3-D services can also support a client's digital twin initiatives (another technology gaining momentum).
From LiDAR to photogrammetry and thermography
Terrestrial laser scanning, used for about 15 years, generates point clouds (coordinates), which can then be converted to BIM (building information modeling) and used to create a 3-D representation. In a general planning application, laser scanning accuracy is typically within 6 mm, but it can be 3 mm or less when used to reverse engineer specific objects, such as pipes or pressure vessels.
One scanning expert gave a mechanical contractor a 3-D scanned proof that clearly showed the supports for a 500,000- pound reactor were incorrectly designed by nearly 300 mm -- information that was crucial for the safety and success of the multimillion-dollar project.
LiDAR is essentially mobile laser scanning using a drone, aircraft or boat. Using pulsed laser light, LiDAR can detect and measure an object in the distance to create a 3-D representation. It is often used with geographic information systems (GIS) to convey topography information such as elevation changes.
Photogrammetry is the science of making measurements from a series of photographs and then creating a drawing or 3-D model. (Oceanographer Robert Ballard used photogrammetry to create images of the Titanic.)
Capturing data may also require manipulation such as in orthoimagery, where an aerial photograph or image is geometrically corrected to uniform scale, achieving both the visual and scale representation of a traditional map. Pipeline mapping and refinery infrastructure are examples of how orthoimagery can be used to create highly detailed, geospatially accurate representations for precise planning.
With a 3-D laser scan and model, the placement of cranes can be precisely planned to minimize disruptions and work stoppages.
Infrared thermography detects infrared radiation (heat) to create a thermal map. Processing facilities use it to confirm normal operating conditions or identify anomalies, such as worn insulation or refractory. Mounting a thermographic camera to a drone enables the inspection of large objects quickly. (The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline is probably the best-known example.)
The captured data can be delivered in several formats. These include Aveva LFM, Autodesk ReCap and Leica Cyclone.
Right the first time
Without as-is facility plans, turnaround and maintenance projects can get complicated. One refinery operator noted that a crane vendor had continuous issues with the location, rotation path and lift plans interfering with other activities or causing work stoppages. With the original crane placement plan, scaffold would have needed to be dismantled and rebuilt 11 times. By using a 3-D laser scan and model, the planning team was able to eliminate all but one disruption.
An instance like this would more than justify the use of 3-D services. However, the true payoff comes when everyone involved in a turnaround uses a 3-D model to improve planning and communication -- a proven way to reduce the overall schedule and improve efficiencies across the board.
For more information, visit www.brandsafway.com or call (800) 558-4772.
