3D Scanning Used for Data Collection at Nuclear Plants
A steamy job for 3D scanning services
The first steam engine was built in the late 17th century by a guy named Thomas Savery. Steam was the most advanced form of energy at that time. You might think that today with nuclear power plants, that we have gone way beyond the steam engine. The truth is, though, we haven’t. The nuclear power plant is just a fancy new way to use steam to power a turbine. Now the nuclear reactor is being used to provide the heat to produce the steam instead of coal. The process is much more complex than in the past, and it is surely much more dangerous, too. Nuclear reactor have to be carefully maintained so as not to let any radioactive material leak and cause damage people, contaminate the facility, or cause problems for the environment. It is for this reason that when work needs to be done on these nuclear power plants, like taking data measurements that renovation planning, that they use the safest means possible. That is why engineers are using 3D scanning services to do data collection.
Not too complex for 3D scanning services
The danger of working in a nuclear power plant is most obviously due to the possibility of radiation leakage. Radiation leakage has a deadly effect on the human body and needs to be controlled. The problem is that sometime engineers need to go in and do data collection. That can be very difficult with all the ventilation systems and piping. Using traditional means to collect data would be very time consuming and dangerous. It would be dangerous, not only because of the need to use ladders and scaffolding to reach difficult areas, but more importantly because of the time being exposed to possible contaminated areas. The longer they stay in the facility the, the more chance there is to being exposed to radiation. The solution to this problem is to use 3D scanning services.
3D scanning services gets you in and out
Using a device like a Leica ScanStation 3D scanner, getting measurements with all of that complex piping can be a breeze. There is no need to setup all of the ladders and scaffolding because an engineer can collect the data he needs using a 3D scanning services device from the ground. The time it takes to complete the data collection is not hours and days like older method. 3D scanning can do the same job in minutes. The best thing about 3D scanning services is that the measurements can be taken off site. The data collected is all put together in a point cloud. The point cloud is used to create a 3D virtual image of the facility. That image can give engineers exact measurements. There is no need to go in and do it again. It can also reveal problems with the piping, like corrosion and leaks.
Nuclear power plants are a great source of energy, though they require us much responsibility to maintain. Using technology like 3D scanning services, we can are able to accomplish that in a safe, manageable, and efficient way.