Laser Is Revolutionizing Architecture

In the normal cycle of design, engineering to switch architectural plans for the realization of an infrastructure, and thus the abstract to the concrete. Conversely, reverse engineering, or reverse, moves from the concrete to the abstract. In other words, to reconstruct the plans from the building. What does it do? To understand the operation of the infrastructure, modify if necessary, or to build a copy in the case of outsourcing, for example, and all that, in the absence of initial plans.

Used since ancient times, especially in the military field, reverse engineering has long been practiced in a very conventional, based solely on human expertise and later on the principle of photogrammetry. This allows to reconstruct a 3D copy with reality through the assembly of a multitude of shots from all angles possible.

The 3D scanner for instrument

The latest technology in the field of reverse engineering, laser scanning is. Dominique Bechard, managing director of Consultec explains the principle: "The lasergrammetry based on the diffusion of a very powerful light emitted by a 3D scanner. This light is emitted in pulses and records every obstacle it encounters in the form of dots on our screen. With the capacity to produce one million points per second, we get very quickly a cloud of points and thus an image of the scanned surface. '

Main instrument for laser scanning, the scanner looks like a 3D camera. It is in the form of a sphere resting on a tripod. Consultec has two, one can record everything 180 meters around, and the other 300 meters. An important field of action for a precision of 3 millimeters.

"Basically, the 3D scanner is used to make topographical or geometric. But we have adapted to the market architecture and construction, Rishi continues Brojmohun, manager of the section Mechanical Engineering & Design Consultec. Though we are not alone in the world using the 3D scanner that manner, we have developed the expertise to translate the cloud points obtained by the scanner in 2D and 3D images. We can even perform simulations. '

Applicable to a crime scene

At a price of 150,000 euros, or about Rs 6 million, 3D scanning technology is expensive. But its applications are vast, in various fields beyond architecture. Dominique Bechard said that "with this technology and our expertise, we can intervene not only for the reconstruction of infrastructure as part of the architectural heritage, but also for 3D reconstructions of crime scenes or places of road accidents. We can virtually do anything. "

Indian Army to French nuclear

Consultec company was founded in 2005 in Mauritius. It is also established in 2007 in Paris and 2010 in India. With a team of some thirty experts in the fields of construction, industry and consulting, she made particular architectural reconstructions for Energy France, the Indian army or a French nuclear power plant. Although the company has primarily sold its services abroad, it intends to strengthen its position on the local level. He won on the island: the 3D reconstruction site Vivo Energy Mauritius Ltd Roche-Bois in 2011. This required a week for readings with the 3D scanner, three days for calibration (assembly point clouds) and fifteen weeks of treatment with two specialists. For a total bill amounting to Rs 400,000.