Scanning

3D scanning is an automated direct reflex (DR) measuring process that digitally captures the shape of physical objects you have defined using a laser of light. 3D laser scanners create point clouds of data from the surface of an object.

You can perform scans using a Trimble SX10 or SX12 scanning total station, or a Trimble VX Series or S Series instrument that has Trimble VISION technology.

When scanning, set up the instrument so that you have a good view of the object you are scanning. For example, when scanning a horizontal surface, set up the instrument as high as possible overlooking the plane. For a vertical surface, the instrument should be set up as close as perpendicular to the plane as possible.

When measuring or selecting scan points, choose points that are reasonably spaced and provide a good spread. For example, when scanning a vertical plane, choosing points that are in diagonally opposing corners of the plane provides the best geometry.

You must complete a station setup before you can perform a scan.

If the instrument is a Trimble SX10 or SX12 scanning total station, you can set up the instrument on a point for which there are no known coordinates and create a scan station. When using a scan station, you can capture scans and panoramas only. To perform scans along with normal survey measurements, you must set up the instrument on a known location and perform a standard station setup.

During a scan, the following progress information appears in the scanning window:

  • Panorama progress information (if applicable).
  • The percentage of scan completed.
  • The number of points scanned.
  • The estimated time remaining.

If the compensator is enabled, the software performs a tilt tolerance check when a scan is paused, completed, or canceled and compares the current tilt value with the tilt value recorded when the scan started or resumed. If the instrument level has changed more than the defined tilt tolerance during the scan, a tilt error message shows the amount of change at the distance specified in the At distance field in the Scanning screen. To continue/save the scan, tap Yes. To cancel the scan, tap No.

A tilt check is not performed if the scan is interrupted because the instrument has shut down due to low power.

The tilt change is displayed in the scan record in Review job. If multiple tilt tolerances messages are displayed for a single scan, the largest tilt change is displayed in the scan record in Review job. If the instrument level is tilted such that it is outside the compensator range when the tilt check is performed, the scan record shows "Compensator out of range".

While a scan is in progress, other conventional instrument/survey functions are disabled. If you need to access a conventional survey or instrument function during a scan, you must pause the scan, perform the operation and then continue the scan.

To pause the scan while it is in progress, tap Pause. To resume the paused scan, tap Continue.

If the connection to the instrument is interrupted during scanning and the "Total station not responding" message appears:

  • To continue scanning, reconnect to the instrument and then tap Continue.
  • To end the survey, tap Cancel.

If you tap Cancel and then reconnect to the instrument, you can still access the interrupted scan. To do this, select Use last in the Station setup screen and then Scanning from the Measure menu. You are prompted to continue the previous scan or to download the partially captured scan.

When the scan is complete, the name of the scan file and the scan properties are stored in the job file.

When you delete a scan, the scan data is still saved but the record is marked as deleted. Go to the scan record in the Review job screen to restore a scan.

Scanned points are not stored in the job file and are not shown in Point manager.

  • Scanned points from Trimble VX Series or S Series instruments are written to a TSF file that is saved to the <project>\<job name> Files folder.

  • Scanned points from a Trimble SX10 or SX12 scanning total station are written to an RWCX file that is saved to the <project>\<job name> Files\SdeDatabase.rwi folder.

    When a scan point measured using a Trimble SX10 or SX12 scanning total station is used in the job, for example in a Cogo calculation, a point is created in the job at the same position as the scan point.

  • Panorama images are stored as JPG files and saved to the <project>\<job name> Files folder.

If a scan contains over 100,000 points, the points will not appear in the map or in point manager.

You can import the JOB or JXL file into the Trimble Business Center or Trimble RealWorks Survey software. Associated TSF, RWCX and JPG files are imported at the same time.

When creating DC files, either on the controller or when downloading the file with office software, the data from the TSF file(s) associated with the job is inserted into the DC file as regular conventional observations.

To export scan data, in the Jobs screen tap Export. Select Comma delimited in the File format field and then tap Accept. In the Select points screen, select Scan file points. A message confirms the export is complete.