How Element6 delivers the future of plant engineering with laser scanning

作者：Christine Grahl

星期五下午的一个凌晨，Element6received a call. A client had a critical need for precise measurements for a fit-for-purpose evaluation.Would Element6 be able to come in that day, get the information, and provide deliverables that evening if needed?

The Georgetown, Ontario, Canada-based boutique engineering consulting firm has built a reputation providing fast and cost-effective service to clients in the specialty chemicals industry, so it's used to handling time-sensitive requests, but this was the tightest deadline the firm had ever encountered. Still, Rob Jickling, Element6’s Consulting Principal, didn’t hesitate. He told his team to get ready.

下午3点，客户确认他们需要元素6。一个小时后，Element6在现场。加拿大工业工厂解决方案地区和美国北部地理系统的区域经理格雷格·施耐德（Greg Schneider）也为该项目提供了支持。在初次通话后仅12小时之前，到凌晨1点，Element6将请求的数据交付给客户端。

传统上，满足这类请求将花费数周的时间，需要大量劳动。但是元素6依靠一个瘦fully digital approach to plant engineeringand design that makes all the difference when time is of the essence.

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Laser scanning innovation enables speed and quality

Element6 works fast with one goal in mind: client success.

“Most people in the engineering business think about engineering,” says Jickling. “We focus exclusively on getting that end result for our clients. They might want to make money, save money or reduce risk. Maybe they want to improve productivity or introduce new products, or maybe they’ve got health and safety issues they want resolved. Whatever their objective, that is our goal.”

To deliver low-cost, high-quality, high-speed service, the team uses an他们称为虚拟植物设计（VPD）的全数字方法. The firm begins with a digital point cloud of the as-built conditions, captured with high-accuracy laser scanning, which helps them quickly find the solution to issues regarding plant renovations, process optimisation, new equipment installations, or whatever challenges the clients face.

Element6 uses an all-digital approach called Virtual Plant Design (VPD) to deliver low-cost, high-quality, high-speed service.

Using its lean workflow, the company works so fast that it sometimes has to wait for clients to catch up and provide feedback on the proposed solution. Clients who are used to traditional blueprints and CAD modelling work are stunned by how quickly Element6 can provide high-quality engineering consulting, performing work in weeks or even days that would traditionally have taken months, with deliverables that are much more comprehensive and informative.

该公司的精益工作流程非常快，以至于他们有时必须等待客户赶上并提供建议的解决方案的反馈。

This is all made possible by Element6’s laser scanning technology. While some engineering consulting firms prefer to rent their technology on an as-needed basis, Element6 has strategically invested in several scanners, including a professional-grade Leica ScanStation P30, a Leica BLK360 imaging laser scanner, and, most recently, two Leica RTC360 portable, automated, high-speed laser scanners that capture complete scans with high-dynamic-range (HDR) imagery in less than two minutes and automatically pre-register the scans in the field with Cyclone FIELD 360. The company also handles its own point cloud processing using Leica Cyclone software, along with JetStream and CloudWorx for easy CAD integration, and TruView for easy client visualisation.

购买该技术而不是租用它已使Element6成为捕获和使用Point Clouds的专家，这又使公司可以为客户提供意外的好处。例如，在传统方法中，将进行初步咨询，然后进行提案，然后返回现场以捕获工作中的条件，然后才能开始工作。相反，元素6通常带来其RTC360激光扫描仪之一

to the first meeting and captures 10 or 20 scans onsite in a matter of minutes. The scanning and registration are done so quickly that the firm is often able to begin work on the project immediately, significantly reducing turnaround time.

使用Leica RTC360激光扫描仪提供高速扫描的能力使Element6可以显着减少项目周转时间。

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Laser scanning integrity allows for an innovative business model

通过激光扫描，Element6产生了工程植物的高确定虚拟点云，可以快速引用像在计算机上或在移动设备上的水龙头上单击几下的简单内容。

When Jickling founded Element6, he wanted to create a business centred around accountability and a results-oriented approach. Element6 spends time up front identifying exactly what the client needs and then sets a price based on the service that will be required—not the amount of time required to complete the work.

This fixed price model radically sets Element6 apart from other engineering consulting firms.“我们没有激励花更多的人做事，”吉克说。“We’re incentivised to get the project done as quickly and productively as possible.”

该商业模式不断地挑战公司寻找新的方法，以更快，更具创新性，并更加专注于满足客户的需求。在做出技术决策时，Element6不仅仔细考虑了硬件的功能，还要考虑完整的现场工作流程，制造商提供的支持以及创新的往绩记录。“Leica Geosystems has industry-leading hardware, but it also has a fully integrated workflow and a commitment to reliable service and continued innovation,”吉克说。“我们依靠Leica Geosystems作为合作伙伴，将帮助我们保持领先地位。”

This type of partnership builds confidence into the company’s operations and enables Element6 to provide clients with outstanding service.“我们从事这项业务已经很长时间了，因此我们不仅拥有工程学，而且对客户的业务及其业务需求的知识和理解，”吉克说。“That understanding, combined with our efficiency and productivity because of technology, allows us to provide our clients with significant advantages in terms of both pricing and value. Our clients know they can count on us to exceed their expectations, and that’s a win for everyone.”

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点云提供实时智能

Having an accurate and up-to-date 3D point cloud as-built gives plants instant access to measurement data and enables them to work with consultants remotely to identify solutions and avoid downtime.

The days of blueprints and spending hours measuring as-builts are over. With laser scanning, Element6 produces high-detail point clouds of engineering plants that can be quickly referenced with something as easy as a few clicks on a computer or taps on a mobile device. No more costly delays due to flawed measurements—it’s all there in the point cloud.

Jickling envisions a future in which every plant has an accurate 3D point cloud as-built. As technology develops, live data could be fed into the point cloud to keep the as-built current, with constantly updated information regarding temperature, pressure, and other variables within the plant. With a complete and up-to-date point cloud, clients wouldn’t need last-minute scans of elbows on a Friday afternoon; they could just pull up the already-existing data. Instead of waiting for engineers to travel to their site, they could work with consultants remotely to identify solutions and avoid downtime.

“为什么要创建一堆蓝图？”吉克说。“模型在这里，所有信息都在这里 - 为什么有人要花钱创造纸张？我们正在与工厂所有者和EPC承包商合作，使用技术来提高他们的游戏，从而降低成本并大大提高结果。”