CloudEngine Point Cloud Software Construction Lifecycle

CloudEngine

Trimble CloudEngine is a specialized point cloud management application designed to support the construction workflow in the office and the field. It offers a range of features including design validation, point cloud manipulation, clash detection, and collaboration, that make it invaluable for new builds, renovations of mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) installations and more. 

What is Trimble CloudEngine?

Trimble CloudEngine represents the next generation of point cloud editing tools. It comes with a suite of analysis and collaboration features custom built to support constructible workflows.  

Trimble designed CloudEngine to support constructible design processes and the crews who depend on them. CloudEngine enables project teams to effortlessly publish and share point cloud data.  

 CloudEngine provides a user-friendly web interface for file sharing that supports direct access using multiple devices. Project stakeholders can also export CloudEngine data directly to their preferred building information model (BIM) or computer-assisted drawing (CAD) platform. 

Key Features and Benefits 

CloudEngine provides a comprehensive set of features, including: 

• Support for both structured and unstructured point clouds from various sources, including LiDAR, photogrammetry, SLAM, terrestrial, and 360-degree photography 
• Composite models incorporating scan data, BIM, and documentation 
• Enhanced models with dimensions, annotations, images, and reference tags 
• Model rendering to point clouds 
• Integration with other applications using standard registration tools and point cloud to BIM registration  

CloudEngine simplifies clash detection, floor analysis, and real-time workflow simulation. Here are some use cases for its features and benefits. 

Use Case: Mechanical Room Renovations 

Many of our customers use CloudEngine to manage point clouds collected while upgrading mechanical rooms. The Trimble X7 pre-registers its scan data, so there’s no need to manually register uploaded data in CloudEngine. Users can use CloudEngine to remove redundant points, creating a more manageable section box for analysis. 

Users can then export the optimized data to Autodesk ReCap, and from there into Revit or AutoCAD. They optimize point clouds by selecting those that are most accurate. They can also share CloudEngine with other project stakeholders for input, validation or confirmation using local shared drives or via web view.  

In one example, the project team needed to plan the removal of two pumps and their replacement with a new pump and reservoir tank in an ice rink’s mechanical room. They selected the points corresponding to the existing pump from a point cloud representing the mechanical room. 

Then, they selected IFC models of the new pump and reservoir and adjusted them to scale. They were able to determine that the new equipment would fit into the existing space without clashes. They also ran animations to ensure that all of the parts could fit through the mechanical room’s overhead door. 

This enabled the team to plan the entire renovation before visiting the site, avoiding unpleasant surprises during installation. 

Use Case: Clash Detection for MEP Structures 

In a grocery store renovation, crews had stripped the structure down to base building conditions. Working from laser scans, the project team could overlay the point cloud onto the proposed CAD model. Then, they could quickly identify clashes between the as-built scan and CAD data.  

CloudEngine’s identification features can highlight every point of contact between a point cloud and a CAD model. Users can quickly identify clashes, accepting those requiring correction or rejecting minor or temporary discrepancies, like an extension cord in the wrong place.  

They can then generate straightforward reports in Excel to share with the rest of the project team. 

 Use Case: Design Validation for As-Built Structures 

In a downtown Toronto renovation, the project team needed to review a specific steel structure within a larger building. Using the selection by shape feature, the team could limit the point cloud to points within 1”, 2” or 6” of the target structure.  

Then they ran an analysis to find as-built deviations. The analysis provided the values of all deviations within the structure for follow-up by the project team. 

Users can conduct this kind of deviation analysis on-site or in a fabrication shop. CloudEngine’s section and offset tool allows users to set a reference plane and then identify offsets between the design model and the as-built point cloud. 

For example, users can set a plane at the top of a set of columns to ensure they’re plumb. CloudEngine can identify clashes between the plane, the CAD data, and the as-built point cloud data. 

 The team can then export the clash detections as CAD files for review using Revit, AutoCAD or Tekla. 

Use Case: Quality Assurance for New Construction 

Another project involved building a steel canopy over a loading dock. Using laser scans, the project team created an as-built point cloud representing the canopy and uploaded it into CloudEngine. 

The project team aligned the point cloud with the design embeds for quality assurance inspection. CloudEngine enabled them to identify clashes and avoid costly rework. They forwarded the clash report to the project managers for remediation before issues arose onsite. 

Staircases often pose challenges for detailers because of their complex geometry. One such project involved fitting a set of stairs inside a concrete core. 

The project team limited the point cloud to points close to the embeds. Using CloudEngine’s “select by shape” feature, the team selected all points with 6” of the embeds. They then identified all deviations exceeding 5mm for the project team to correct. 

Using reference planes, the team was also able to assess the staircase’s straightness and recommend adjustments. 

In a similar example, laser scans showed that a steel column was out of plumb, explaining why crews had issues connecting a beam to it. By splicing the column and adding a part to it, they were able to return the column to plumb. This saved substantial time troubleshooting the overall structure. 

Connection Between CloudEngine and Autodesk Products

CloudEngine exports data to Autodesk products including AutoCAD and Revit. With CloudEngine and AutoCAD installed on one computer, the software bundles the point cloud data.  

CloudEngine can generate RCP files that appear as reference files in AutoCAD. Users can then view the same point cloud in the AutoCAD file.  

Using CloudEngine, users can select basic geometric shapes like planes, spheres, cylinders, and edges. For example, by modeling a plane and extracting some edges from the point cloud, they can create a more substantial guide for use in AutoCAD than the points themselves.  

Using Trimble Connect to import the planes and lines into AutoCAD, the shapes now appear in the AutoCAD file as guidelines. 

Users can also work with CloudEngine data without loading CAD software. Another option for importing point clouds is to use CloudEngine’s Recap (RCP) button. This copies the point cloud to the Windows clipboard, enabling users to paste it into other applications. 

Sharing of Scan Data
 

Project teams make the most benefits of point cloud data when they share it with other project stakeholders. Users can share CloudEngine data with co-workers using CloudEngine’s on-premise tools.  

Using Trimble Explorer, users can send data stored on their local computer to their colleagues. To share data with external stakeholders, users can upload CloudEngine files to the cloud using Microsoft Azure.  

One of the best ways to share CloudPoint data with customers is to render an IFC model of the point cloud and overlay it onto a 360˚ photographic image. This provides a more relatable augmented reality experience, orienting them to the data in a familiar context.  

Sharing findings with stakeholders is crucial, and CloudEngine facilitates this process. The application supports both on-premise “internal” tools and Trimble Explorer for sharing data stored on local computers.  

BuildingPoint Can Help

CloudEngine is an essential part of Trimble’s commitment to supporting constructible workflows. It streamlines processes and helps all stakeholders navigate as-built data from complex construction projects.  

Whether your business is an architectural practice, an engineering firm, a pre-fabricator, a general contractor or a sub-contractor, BuildingPoint is committed to providing field technologies that all stakeholders can use throughout the lifecycle of any structure. 

Why not contact BuildingPoint today to discuss how the Trimble Connect solutions we offer can help your business deliver construction projects more accurately, efficiently, and profitably?