For the construction industry, accurate dimensions and locations are needed when coordinating with scope done earlier in the project, such as underground stub-ups, water utility ties-ins or duct riser penetrations, to ease the handoff between contractors. FARO Technologies, Inc. have released the Freestyle 2 Handheld Scanner for Construction to help address this core need. Designed to be fast and portable, the new targeted 3D data capture device is built to solve common construction scanning headaches by providing an easier way to scan even the tightest spaces.
In construction, (and industrial and utility space), the challenges for accurate and efficient reality capture are numerous. As-built documentation of tight spaces, such as mechanical rooms, interstitial spaces, or above ceilings, can be awkward or difficult to perform with a tripod scanner, especially when there is not enough space to set up, or enough room to scan the equipment from different locations. Moreover, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems are often intertwined, making it challenging to get a comprehensive picture, with the added difficulty that pipes and ducts can obstruct other systems creating shadows in the resulting point cloud or missed scanned areas.
The new Freestyle 2 is designed to addresses these and other common challenges. Whether being used standalone or combined with a FARO Focus Laser Scanner, the Freestyle 2 gives contractors a new way to capture accurate 3D point clouds of their projects for planning, verification, and handover needs.
Its small, compact form factor allows for use in tight areas and for areas that need to be walked behind, around or under to create a more clear picture of an area. With an integrated screen, users can watch a live in-progress scan to verify that the areas are being adequately covered in the scan.
At a 1 meter distance, the accuracy is reported to be 0.5mm with 10,5000 points/m² with up to 45,000 points/m² at a 1m distance. At longer ranges the accuracy ranges from 5mm (at 5m distance) to 15mm at a 10m distance.
Full specs available from FARO here.
While some handheld scanners are designed to be all-in-one devices, the Freestyle 2 can be most strategically used to target the trickiest areas with its close-up range and accuracy, and then be integrated into larger-scale scans from more traditional scanners like the FARO Focus. Originally developed to facilitate one-hand applications in forensics, the FARO Freestyle 2 is one of the smallest and lightest handheld laser scanners currently available, with a weight of less than two kilograms.
“We are very excited to offer the Freestyle 2 handheld scanner for the construction industry,” said Matthias Koksch, Global Director AEC, Product Marketing at FARO.
“We believe this is the most versatile, portable and easy-to-use 3D data capture tool in the market today and will significantly improve contractors’ productivity and efficiency through improved documentation and understanding of their projects.”
For more information on the FARO Freestyle 2 for Construction, or to schedule a demonstration, visit the FARO website.
