Scanning Is About Accuracy Not Just Marketing

Tim Tiensvold, CM-BIM

By Tim Tiensvold, CM-BIM
MCL Construction BIM Manager

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The world of reality capture is advancing quickly with the introduction of new scanners by Matterport and the Autodesk/Leica joint venture BLK360.  Both the Matterport and BLK360 units are designed to offer low cost and high speed scanned 3D content.  The Matterport unit uses a 3D camera to capture the environment while the BLK360 unit utilizes a laser refracted from the service of the scanned space (LiDar).  The following post outlines a couple of things one should keep in mind when deciding which scanning solution best suits their needs.

  The Space

• The size and use of the space being captured can affect the end product significantly.  Matterport recommends generating a scan every 15 feet across the space you intend to capture while the Leica unit has a range of 60 meters (197 feet).  Matterport’s approach is easily achievable when you’re scanning an office environment or a residence but becomes time-consuming when scanning larger spaces such as gymnasiums, factory floors, or expansive warehouses.  The BLK360 Unit can be used both indoors and outside while the Matterport unit is better suited to indoor environments with consistent lighting.  Matterport can be used outside, but any deviation in lighting such as areas where a strong shadow is being cast across it can adversely affect the quality of scan.

 
Level of Accuracy

• The BLK360 is accurate to 4mm over its effective range of 60 meters.  This means that if you scanned a surface 197 feet away you’d have a deviation in accuracy about the size of a pencil eraser (not to split hairs but it’s actually a bit smaller than an eraser).  In comparison, the Matterport unit would have an accuracy deviation of approximately 2 feet or 62 pencil erasers.  Not every space you scan is going to be expansive and if a little deviation in accuracy is acceptable for your purposes, then the Matterport’s deviation in accuracy of 1 inch at 10 feet may be suitable for your requirements.
  

Matterport

Autodesk/Leica BLK360

Price

• This is where the Matterport beats the BLK 360 hands down.  A Matterport unit costs $4,500 dollars + monthly cloud hosting cost with plans from $49 to $149 per month vs the $15,990 price tag of the BLK360.  If you’re looking to purchase a unit and want to generate quality, high-resolution images with automated 3D space generation, the Matterport may be for you.  If you’re more interested in generating dimensionally accurate point clouds in a variety of spaces with a variety of surfaces in varying conditions you may want to select the BLK360 unit.

Ultimately, your desired use for the data determines which product is better suited to deliver the information.  But, if you take these three points into consideration when purchasing a scanning unit or when contracting reality capture work, the deliverable you receive will fulfill the criteria you require.  Both units provided a quality end product, but the final deliverables vary greatly in both cost and use.

Read more about each unit here:            matterport.com                            Autodesk/Leica BLK360
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Did you know that MCL is the parent company of EIA?  EIA, short for Examine, Investigate & Apply, is MCL’s reality capture subsidiary.  EIA employs a professional series Leica C5 scanner with upgraded stabilization and image capture capabilities.  If you’re looking to scan an existing space for as-built purposes or are building a new structure and want to confirm the quality of construction meets specified tolerances, the professional series Leica scanners provide the most accurate scans.  Contact EIA today by calling our office directly (402) 339-2221 or through this website and inquire about our reality capture services.