3D Laser Scanning – CADSense

Overview

What It Is & Why It Matters

What is Laser Scanning?

Laser scanning is advanced LiDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technology that captures highly accurate 3D measurements of real-world environments.

We create detailed 3D PointClouds — called Digital Twins — of buildings, plant, civil sites and assets, ready for design, analysis and project planning.

Multiple scan positions are stitched into a single unified model — a complete, colour, fully measurable 3D record of your site, right down to ±2mm accuracy.

Why It Matters

A full-scale 3D scan allows your team to design around existing plant with total confidence — no guesswork, no costly measurement errors.

Design with confidence — everything that's there, in your CAD system, in colour and to scale
Reduce site visits — engineers measure and design remotely from real data
Avoid clashes and rework — catch problems in the model, not on the job
Start sooner — accurate data from day one
No CAD software needed — browser-based portal for your whole team

Scan once.

No travel required for your design team

Design anywhere.

Your team, your tools, your timeline

Start immediately.

One visit replaces weeks of manual measurement

Global reach.

Teams in NZ, Australia, Germany & Ireland

View Live 3D Scan Samples

Navigate, measure, and explore our scans in full 3D — no download required

Scanning Technology

TLS vs SLAM — We Have Both

Not all laser scanning is the same. We operate two distinct technologies in-house — and knowing which one suits your project can make a real difference to cost, speed, and the quality of data you get back.

TLS — Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Tripod Mounted · Maximum Precision

The scanner is set up on a tripod at fixed positions across the site. Each position captures a full 360° sphere of points with no movement error. Multiple positions are registered together into one unified model.

Ideal for complex machinery, dense pipework, structural connections, and any project where fine detail and tight tolerances are non-negotiable. Accuracy to ±1–2mm.

SLAM — Mobile Laser Scanning

Handheld · Rapid Coverage

The operator walks continuously through the space while the scanner builds a live 3D map — no tripod, no setup stops. Large and complex sites can be captured rapidly, at a lower cost than TLS.

Perfect for civil and earthmoving projects, large buildings, BIM, and sites where overall layout and the "big picture" matter more than millimetre-level detail. Accuracy to ±10mm.

We'll advise on the right fit — and can blend both on the same project. SLAM might seem the obvious choice on cost alone, but there are real situations where it's not the right tool. Getting that call wrong is an expensive mistake.

TLS vs SLAM — Full Comparison & Real Examples

Capabilities

What We Deliver

From single rooms to full industrial facilities — we capture everything with precision and deliver it in the format your team actually uses.

360° LiDAR Scanning

Up to 70m radius per scan position (140m coverage). Multiple positions stitched together for large or complex projects — hundreds of scans into one accurate model.

Full Colour PointClouds

High-resolution 360° imagery captured alongside the scan data, so your Digital Twin is fully coloured and visually accurate — not just a grey cloud of points.

CAD Ready Delivery

Delivered in RCP, RCS, E57, LAS and more. Drop directly into AutoCAD, Plant 3D, Revit, Inventor, SolidWorks, Tekla, Civil 3D — just like a 3D block.

GNSS RTK Geo-Referencing

Scans positioned to within 1cm anywhere in NZ using our survey-grade GNSS RTK equipment. Perfect for civil design, stake-out, and GPS machine control.

Browser-Based Viewing

We host your scan data on our secure online portal — view, measure, and analyse directly in your browser. No CAD software required. Share with anyone, anywhere.

Heatmap Analysis

Visualise floor levels, wall plumb, structural columns and more with elevation heatmaps. Instantly see where humps, hollows, slopes and deviations exist across your site.

See It In Action

Design Inside Reality

Once you have a PointCloud, your design team can work directly inside it. Drop new pipework, equipment, tanks, or structures straight into the real-world scan — and see exactly how everything fits before a single piece of steel is cut.

Clip away walls or sections you don't need. Add your 3D models alongside what's already there. Check clearances, avoid clashes, and present the finished design to your client in a way they can actually understand.

When the whole team can see the new layout sitting inside their existing plant — sign-off gets a lot easier.

CAD objects and new pipework design added directly into a real PointCloud scan

Process

How It Works

A straightforward process from first contact to finished data — with no jargon and no surprises.

Contact Us

Tell us about your project — we're happy to advise on the best approach and give you a clear, no-jargon quote with no obligation.

Site Capture

We visit your site with our S-Series scanners. Each position captures a full 360° scan. We move systematically to ensure complete coverage with full overlap.

Registration

All scan positions are registered and stitched into a single, unified, colour model — with GNSS RTK geo-referencing applied for survey-accurate positioning.

Delivery

Your data arrives in your chosen format — RCP, E57, LAS — or we integrate it directly into your CAD environment. Online viewer hosting also available.

Real Projects

Work We've Done

Every project below was completed by us, right here in Southland. Real clients, real sites, real outcomes.

Structural · Invercargill

Earthquake Strengthening — 6-Level Heritage Building

We scanned the complete site — all 6 levels, roof, and inner workings of a well-known local building. The engineering team built a full 3D as-built model from the PointCloud, including all beams, columns, and floor penetrations exactly to size and scale.

Result: The building was proven to meet required standards, saving the client millions in relocation costs.

Industrial · Southland

Industrial Pipework & Pump As-Builts

A local industrial site with existing pipework and pumps, laser scanned and delivered into Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD, Revit, and SolidWorks. Everything on-site, in your CAD system, in colour and to scale — ready for the design team to begin new alterations and designs in 3D or 2D.

Result: Design team could begin immediately without a single site visit for measurements.

International · Southland

Tanker Pump — Designed in England

A local contractor needed a new pump for his tanker, but the manufacturer was in the UK. We scanned the tanker in the area of interest and sent the PointCloud to England in AutoCAD format. The supplier custom designed a new pump complete with mounting and clearances.

Result: Pump arrived from the UK and bolted directly onto the tanker — fit perfectly, first time.

Marine · Bluff

Boat Ramp Piles — Pontoon Design

Piles for a new boat ramp and pontoons were driven into the seabed from a barge — not all to exact tolerances. 3D scanning of the driven piles gave the engineering team exact as-built positions to design pontoons that would fit perfectly.

Result: Pontoons arrived on site and bolted on perfectly — first time, no rework.

Industrial · Queenstown

Portal Frame As-Builts — Earthquake Strengthening

With limited existing drawings, an engineering firm needed accurate as-built data for portal frames before designing earthquake strengthening works. Laser scanning delivered the complete existing steel structure to exact size and scale.

Result: Full 3D as-built model delivered for engineering analysis and manufacturing drawings.

Civil · Southland

Floor Heatmap Analysis

Had a concrete slab poured and need to confirm the floor is sloping correctly to sumps before progressing? A laser scan heatmap shows exactly where humps, hollows, slumps, and slopes are — at an easy glance. Walls and columns can be analysed the same way.

Result: Issues identified and resolved before construction progressed — saving time and cost.

View All Scan Samples →

Compatibility

Works With Your Software

Our PointClouds drop directly into all major CAD and GIS platforms. If your team uses it, we can deliver to it.

AutoCAD

Since Release 11 · 30+ Years

Plant 3D

Piping & Industrial Design

Revit

BIM & Architecture

Inventor

Since Release 1 · 3D Mech

SolidWorks

10+ Years Experience

Civil 3D

Civil & Infrastructure

Tekla

Structural Steel

QGIS / GIS

Mapping & Spatial

Delivery Formats

RCP / RCSAutodesk ReCap — native CAD format

E57Universal PointCloud exchange format

LAS / LAZIndustry standard LiDAR format

Online PortalBrowser-based viewing, no software needed

3D LaserScanning