- Needed to overhaul point cloud manipulation workflows
- Wanted to leverage best-in-class software and find high-quality customer support
OmegaGeo
Finds point cloud partner perfection with Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino plug-in
Challenge
Solution
- Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino plug-in, backed by friendly and effective customer support
- Lets users work with point clouds natively in Rhino
Results
- New and more powerful workflow for reality capture projects
- A partner who can support OmegaGeo through thick and thin
About the company – OmegaGeo
OmegaGeo provides surveying, 3D scanning and 3D BIM modelling services to residential, commercial and heritage sites across the UK.
Established in 2009, the company has worked on some extremely high-profile sites, including Leeds Castle in Kent and the Tower of London. They operate a range of terrestrial and drone-based scanners.
The Challenge
Needing a new way to work with point clouds
The team at OmegaGeo are experts at gathering, processing and manipulating point cloud data in order to provide clients with high-quality 3D models and BIM plans. Their workflow relies on specific software programs to handle the point cloud data; when one of those tools was bought by another company, OmegaGeo decided it was time for a refresh.
“We knew the company who had bought the point cloud editing software we had been using, and we also knew that they had a reputation for terrible support,” explains Brett Duffield, Director at OmegaGeo. “We decided then and there that we needed to find a new tool to help us work with point clouds, made by someone who would actually be able to look after us properly.”
For similar reasons, Brett was also keen to move away from his current CAD programme. In so doing, OmegaGeo hoped to fully revamp its reality capture workflow, taking advantage of modern, best-in-class software for working with point clouds.
“It was important to us to have the best tools for delivering client work,” Brett recalls, “but equally important was finding the right suppliers to work with. A supportive and responsive technology partner would make it so much easier for us to get our work done on time and on budget.”
Part of OmegaGeo’s point cloud of Leeds Castle, captured using a mixture of terrestrial, aerial and water-based scans.
The point cloud was animated using Veesus Arena4D’s high-definition point cloud animation functionality.
“Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino is the fastest thing there is.”
Brett Duffield
Director, OmegaGeo
The Solution
Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino plug-in
Brett and the team saw a demo of the Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino plug-in, and were impressed – both by the software and the company.
“I thought that the plug-in looked great,” says Brett, “and I knew from the start that Veesus would be a great partner to us. From the very first time I met the team, I found them to be really personable and responsive to our needs and goals.”
Using Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino, Brett and the team at OmegaGeo can import, edit and manipulate point clouds of any size natively within Rhino. Editing options including slicing, clipping, and magnification, along with smoothing, lighting, and colour ramp options.
Additionally, OmegaGeo knows that the Veesus team is only ever an email or phone call away, should they have questions or be facing technical challenges.
“One time we had an issue with missing blocks of data when viewing point clouds in the plug-in,” Brett recalls. “I made one phone call to Veesus, and they released a patch that solved the issue – and it’s never come up again. It’s that level of service that makes Veesus stand out to me.”
The Results
A powerful point cloud workflow
Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino makes it much quicker and easier for Brett’s team to work with point clouds. The capabilities of the plug-in mean that the new workflow has fewer steps to follow, with more of the process taking place directly in Rhino.
“In our old workflow there were lots of settings you had to adjust to get the point clouds to work; with Veesus it all just happens,” Brett adds.
The team has found a few instances where Veesus has made a real difference. For example, OmegaGeo often uses aerial photogrammetry to generate point clouds of large areas, and drones are used to capture aerial and external shots to complement building scans. The “Snap to Point” function of the Rhino plug-in has made that job much faster.
Brett also really values the plug-in when working with scans of churches. “Old churches are full of irregularities that can make them tricky to work on. Using Veesus, I can view a slice from multiple angles – and move it around in real time – to easily get an accurate view of what I’m drawing up.”
Ultimately, though, it’s the combination of innovative technology and high-quality service that Brett enjoys so much.
“You could have the best tool in the world, but without a supplier who is prepared to give you the time and attention to help you get the most out of that tool, it’ll never be as successful as it could be. We know that Veesus are prepared to go that extra mile – it’s why they’re such a great partner.”
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