Why an Insite360 scan can be useful for Planning, Design and Operations Team

Why an Insite360 scan can be useful for Planning, Design and Operations Teams?

COGNICA’s Insite360 platform is a secure, cloud-hosted web application, developed by COGNICA and underpinned by NavVis IVION, that enables users to explore reality capture scans, laser point clouds, HD photogrammetry, dimension assessment, points of interest and more, from the convenience of their web browser. COGNICA use NavVis VLX laser scanning hardware to capture scans at speed, but Insite360 can also integrate and host scans performed by other 3rd party laser scanners; creating a seamless, unified scan exploration experience, directly in the browser.

COGNICA have delivered Insite360 scans to multiple clients and in many environments. Scans can have multiple uses for various departments, some of the reasons for using an Insite360 scan are described below:

Planning for Safety

Insite360 provides a reality capture of the site showing the asset installations from various angles. This enables off-site assessments of personnel protective equipment (PPE), safe on-site work planning, work/task risk assessments and general health & safety requirements for the site in advance of any planned work. Scans can be used to identify potential hazards remotely, which result in better RAMS for planned tasks and improved planning of methods of work.

Insite360 can also be used for training for new employees, clients and contractors. Documentation or videos can be added to the scan via the Points of Interest, to teach or inform operatives or maintenance teams about the equipment that they will work on remotely. This also provides a good level of familiarisation with the assets prior to any site visits.

Reduces the need for repeat visits

Insite360 hosted scans have numerous benefits and use-cases, including Facilities Management, Supply Chain Management, Designers, Planners as well as by suppliers and contractors. Users can remotely assess asset requirements and provide quotes or estimates from the digital outputs.

As scans are taken from all angles, users can get views of equipment installations from numerous positions. The use of the measurement function can assess the dimensions of the equipment for use in planning. The Crop and Download function allow planners to extract elements from the Point Cloud to upload into design software, such as Autodesk Revit or Bentley Microstation, to aid the design process. These facilities enable assessors to plan the optimum number of personnel required for site work and aid task planning before site work commences.

Maintenance Teams can also use Insite360 to plan their routes within a building and identify any issues before the site visit such as tight door spaces, stairs and lift positions. This enables decision making on bringing large equipment to site to be planned offsite, so time and risks on site are reduced.

Space Management

With the move to more flexible working patterns following the pandemic, space management has become increasingly important for businesses. With an Insite360 scan businesses can strategically solve space utilisation challenges and create a better workplace experience. The centimetre accurate scans allow the user to measure existing assets by creating fixed or freehand polygon shapes to represent 2D or 3D objects overlaying the scan. These shape objects can be repositioned, named, cloned, saved, or deleted, and are extremely helpful during early redesign planning to give an assessment of whether something will fit in a space, all from the comfort of a browser, with no site visit required. In the image below, a desk has been measured and then copied and replicated twice to aid the planning of the introduction of two new desks in an open space.

The measurement function enables users to measure a larger space in a 2D or 3D environment. With the Crop and Download function, a partial or complete section of the laser point cloud can be extracted into third party software where further works can be carried out for planning.

Sustainable working and wellbeing

As scans save the time, effort and cost required to physically visit the site for assessment, they reduce the need for extensive and repeated travel to sites. Anyone who has been involved in these roles will understand the frustration of travelling for hours to perform a site visit for a short period just to confirm a requirement that could be done from a desk.

These reductions in visits are not only cutting carbon footprint that support the sustainability goals and reduce the costs on the scheme, but they also reduce tiredness caused by travelling and improves employee’s wellbeing.

Contact Us now to discuss our laser scanning and reality capture services for your site or buildings, and request a free no obligation quote.