Consulting Areas
3D Laser Scanning and Space Capture
We typically respond within one business day.
3D Space Capture
Our 3D space capture services record a scene, a building or a site as a 3D model that people can explore and measure later, after the space itself has changed. We use it to document forensic scenes before cleanup, to record facilities and equipment rooms for as-built and walkdown work, and to create virtual walkthroughs.
We use two tools:
- Leica BLK360® laser scanner: records a dense point cloud of a space, suited to detailed measurements and to drawing and as-built work.
- Matterport® scanner: creates a virtual walkthrough that anyone with access can explore and measure in a web browser, suited to sharing a scene or a facility with people who can’t be there.
Depending on what the project needs, you receive a walkthrough link, a point cloud, and measurements of the space and what is in it.
Contact us for a free quote on your scan. We typically respond within one business day.
Forensic and Insurance
The scene of a fire, electrical or other forensic loss changes once cleanup, repairs and evidence collection begin. Scanning it first keeps a measurable record of the scene as it was found. As the scene is processed and items are removed for examination, the original layout, the positions of items and the damage stay available for later walkthroughs and measurements.
That record lets interested parties who weren’t at the scene, and later the attorneys and engineers on the case, see it as it was, and it shows where evidence was collected. 3D capture adds to scene photographs, notes and evidence collection rather than replacing them: it records the surfaces the scanner can see, not what is hidden behind or under them. See our fire and explosion investigation and forensic electrical engineering pages.
As-Built and Walkdown Scans
For facilities, a 3D scan gives a measurable record of mechanical and electrical rooms, equipment and sites: where equipment sits, how conduit and piping run, and the clearances around equipment. Engineers can take measurements from the model without another trip to the site, and the scan supports our site walkdowns and as-built drawings, so drawings can be checked against what was actually installed.
Industrial Sites and Training
At an industrial site, equipment, lockout/tagout points and other important items can be tagged in the 3D model, so employees can find them in a virtual walkthrough of the facility. Training coordinators can show new employees what they will see in the field before they get there.
Real Estate and Businesses
Virtual walkthroughs also let buyers tour a home, and customers tour a restaurant or retail space, online: by link, on listing sites or in a virtual reality headset.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Leica BLK360 and the Matterport scanner?
The Leica BLK360 is a laser scanner that records a dense point cloud of a space, which suits detailed measurements, drawings and as-built work. The Matterport scanner creates a virtual walkthrough that anyone with access can explore and measure in a web browser, which suits sharing a space with people who can’t be there. Depending on the project, we use one or both.
What do I receive from a 3D scan?
Depending on the project, a walkthrough link that people with access can explore and measure, a point cloud from the laser scanner, and measurements of the space and the items in it. Tell us how the scan will be used, and we’ll match the deliverables to it.
Does a 3D scan replace scene photographs and an inspection?
No. A scan records the surfaces the scanner can see, as they were on the day of the scan. It adds a measurable record to scene photographs, notes and evidence collection, but hidden areas, small details and the evidence itself still have to be documented and examined directly.
Can a 3D scan be used for as-built drawings?
Yes. A scan of an electrical or mechanical room, a facility or a site gives a measurable record of where equipment and conduit are, which supports our walkdowns and as-built drawings. The drawings are still checked against the installation in the field.
Work with Dreiym
Tell us what you need captured and how the model will be used, and we’ll recommend the Leica BLK360, the Matterport scanner or both.
When you contact us, you talk directly with an engineer who can discuss your project. Our offices are in Coldspring, Texas and Westcliffe, Colorado, and we work nationwide. For forensic work, our investigations are led by licensed Professional Engineers with active and past licensure in multiple states. Reports are PE-stamped where required, and we also accept consulting-only (non-testifying) retentions. Our engineers write expert reports and testify in depositions and at trial.
Submit an assignment or contact us for a free quote. We typically respond within one business day.
Related Reading
- Driving Operational Success with the Precision and Visualization of 3D Space Capture
3D space capture applications: how LiDAR, photogrammetry and Matterport preserve forensic scenes, speed construction planning and cut site visits.
- 11 Innovative Ways Drone Services Improve Fire Investigations
11 uses of drones in fire investigations, from burn pattern mapping to thermal hotspot detection, and how they strengthen insurance claims.
Get your project started
We typically respond within one business day.