Reality capture technology isn't new to construction. For years, teams have used scanning technologies to create detailed 3D models of their job sites. These scanners create point clouds that allow project teams to accurately visualize and validate the work executed in the field at every phase of the construction process.
However, while reality capture technology is an invaluable source of truth for any project, until now, it's been largely out of reach for many construction professionals. Traditional reality capture solutions have historically required specialized hardware, intensive computing power and extensive technical expertise to handle the millions of data points required to create these intricate 3D models…Until now.
The Trimble Reality Capture platform service
The Trimble Reality Capture platform service represents a fundamental change in the way field teams collect, store and manage massive spatial datasets. This platform service, seamlessly integrated with Trimble Connect, makes highly detailed 3D scan data available in a web browser and accessible on a phone, tablet or computer without needing specialized equipment or technical expertise–allowing for unprecedented information sharing and collaboration between all project stakeholders.
While high-end scanning equipment sets the standard for precise site data capture, the Trimble Reality Capture platform service supports multiple capture methods, including:
3D scanning equipment like the Trimble X9 3D scanner
Terrestrial and airborne LiDAR technologies
iPad Pro and iPhone Pro LiDAR scanning
Check out this video to see the Trimble Reality Capture platform service in action:
Here are just a few of the many ways the Trimble Reality Capture platform service can drastically improve your project outcomes and streamline your work processes.
Connect your construction workflow
Aside from the ground-breaking access provided by the Trimble Reality Capture platform service, what really sets this technology apart is its integration into the broader Trimble ecosystem. From scanning measurements to project management and even back office finances, Trimble Connect allows Reality Capture data to flow seamlessly between connected systems, allowing your team to:
Complete projects within one ecosystem
Streamline operations through integrated workflows
Manage changes from field identification to budget impact
Create and process change orders more efficiently
Maintain more accurate project documentation
Reduce costly project delays
Through Trimble’s ecosystem, the complete record of a change is connected, time-stamped and referencable in the future, ensuring all stakeholders have the most up-to-date information possible.
To illustrate the power of a truly connected workflow, let’s look at a relatively routine part of any construction project: the change order.
Imagine for a moment that you're pouring a concrete deck for a new office building. Unfortunately, your plans are outdated–directing you to pour the electrical conduit stub-ups 18 inches from the edge instead of 12. Unfortunately, since the design has changed, the concrete has already been poured, and an electrical conduit is now coming up exactly where the CEO's desk is supposed to go.
Using the Trimble Reality Capture platform service, you can identify the issue, create a view in Trimble Connect and generate a change order to move the conduit stub-ups to their correct location within your connected project management solution, such as ProjectSight.
From here, all of that change order information is synced across your Trimble ERP system, ensuring nothing gets lost in the process and saving hours of manual data re-entry.
Now, your field team has the information they need to correct the issue, your PMs and stakeholders know exactly what’s happening and your accounting team in the back office can immediately see the financial impact this change order will have on the project budget.
Improve team collaboration
Your field teams’ time is precious. With labor being the largest cost of any project, every hour spent trying to identify and resolve issues onsite takes time away from making progress–causing project delays and costing you money.
Rather than wasting time in the field, project managers can use the Trimble Reality Capture platform service’s scan data to collaboratively identify and resolve potential issues early when they are easier and cheaper to resolve.
By seamlessly integrating with leading construction project management platforms that can be connected to Trimble’s powerful ERP solutions, Trimble Reality Capture platform service enables you to:
Capture accurate site conditions through detailed 3D scanning
Overlay scans with design models in the browser to identify discrepancies
Tag stakeholders directly in the data to drive deep, intuitive collaboration
Document and address issues directly in the model
Create RFIs with comprehensive context
Process change orders with clear documentation
Track resolution across Trimble systems
This continuity not only helps prevent project hiccups but also enables a streamlined workflow from issue identification to resolution and creates a well-documented trail of accountability.
Go from finger-pointing to facts
Whether it's misplaced conduit, improperly poured concrete or prefabricated parts that don't quite line up, there is an infinite list of issues that may arise during construction, which can lead to costly delays and heated disputes between subcontractors, owners and a range of other project stakeholders.
The Trimble Reality Capture platform service shifts these conversations from subjective opinions and finger-pointing to objective facts by providing an accurate, comprehensive picture of true site conditions. This allows your teams to identify & resolve potential issues before they cause delays by:
Comparing actual construction against design models
Identifying discrepancies quickly and accurately
Documenting issues with indisputable evidence
Now, instead of debating who may be at fault, project teams can immediately focus on finding solutions and accelerate the time to resolution.
Problems are inevitable. Solutions are what matters.
As construction projects become increasingly complex, the ability to capture, share and act on accurate 3D scan data has become more critical than ever. At Trimble, we’ve taken a significant step forward in making these capabilities accessible to everyone involved in construction projects and connecting them to a powerful ecosystem. By removing technical barriers and integrating with existing workflows, the Trimble Reality Capture platform service can help your teams focus on what matters most: delivering successful projects on time and on budget.
The future of construction management isn't just about having advanced technology–it's about making that technology accessible and useful for everyone involved in the project. With Trimble Reality, that future is here right now.
Check out our extensive dealer network to learn how you can make Trimble Reality your reality today!
