If you are a top structural steel designer and take quality seriously like Détail Optimal, you need to stay on top of technological development. With point cloud technology and BIM, Détail Optimal can now deliver both of their projects quicker and achieve even more accurate results.
Using point clouds and Tekla Structures, Détail Optimal can take on bigger challenges without worrying about sacrificing quality. “We used point clouds when reinforcing a structural concrete slab in an access to an indoor parking lot. The challenge was to add new steel beams under the existing slab, demolishing it and rebuilding it after. The parking access was in three different slopes with many different angles, so without the scan, we would not have been able to make the beams fit perfectly. We saved time in the field when putting the steel on,” says Benoit Philibert, president of Détail Optimal.
For Détail Optimal, point clouds have a lot to offer outside of structure renovation. The information in point clouds helps them to make better decisions and plan more efficiently. “We develop 3D models using the point cloud to fit the new steel structures in existing buildings. But at the same time, we use the information from the point cloud to show our clients what is possible to do, and what is not,” says Mr. Philibert. “We’ve used point cloud information to add new overhead cranes to an existing industrial building with a lot of interferences. Our service is to propose a solution to the client and whether it would work or not.”
"Offering the field survey using cloud technologies made me grow my business. Since I did not offer the field survey before for safety reasons, now it is easy, safe and user-friendly to use it by one man!"
Benoit Philibert, President, Détail Optimal
Smoother workflows
The addition of point cloud technology to Tekla Structures has streamlined internal working processes at Détail Optimal. “Before, we would work the point cloud with Trimble RealWorks to take all the necessary information, doing some polylines and exporting those to Tekla Structures. Now we can import the point cloud directly to Tekla Structures 2018 and work with the cloud to build the model around it,” says Mr. Philibert.
In conclusion, taking advantage of point clouds has allowed Détail Optimal to save both time and money while delivering projects with more precision. They have been able to reduce errors while producing high-quality deliverables in record time. “We can propose great, realistic alternatives to our clients to make their project possible – without going back and forth in the design processes,” says Mr. Philibert. Needless to say, thanks to point clouds, both Détail Optimal, and their clients are on cloud nine.
Détail Optimal
For more than 15 years, the Canadian steel experts Détail Optimal has been exceeding the requirements of the steel manufacturing industry while also offering their customers unparalleled service. They work to deliver products that accurately meet the highest quality standards and client expectations regardless of scope - be it commercial, industrial, institutional or miscellaneous steel. More information: www.detailoptimal.com
Point clouds
Collected using a 3D laser scanner, a point cloud is a large group of data points which represents the geometry of a physical structure or groundworks on a construction site. Point cloud data files can be imported to Tekla Structures to form a 3D representation of existing buildings and structures -- making it easier than ever to plan and complete renovations and additions. Point clouds provide unmatched accuracy for the geometry of existing structures or ground on site.