The Challenge
A power generation facility needed to replace a 700-foot-long underground conveyor that had reached the end of its service life. Accurate as-built drawings were not available, and decades of undocumented modifications had been made over the conveyor’s 40-year operating history. The conveyor was located in a confined, hazardous tunnel environment, making traditional field measurement slow, risky, and unreliable.
The Solution
AsBuilt used high-resolution 3D laser scanning to capture the true as-is conditions of the underground conveyor system, with specific focus on loading zones, leg anchor bolt locations, and critical interface points that had changed over time. The scan data was processed into a detailed point cloud and converted into a 3D model that design engineers used to accurately engineer a replacement conveyor with precise fit-up at all key connection areas.
Project Highlights
- Reduced Site Exposure: Only one technician was required to scan the entire conveyor, minimizing personnel time in hazardous tunnel conditions.
- Accurate Interface Locations: Delivered precise locations for existing equipment interfaces and mounting points.
- Accelerated Data Capture: Captured more accurate data in a single day than traditional measuring methods could achieve over extended periods.
- Reduced Rework: Achieved a 97% reduction in rework compared to prior conveyor replacement projects in the same tunnel.
Deliverables
- Post-processed point cloud
- Navisworks 3D model
