Process encyclopedia · field to federated model
Scan-to-BIM workflow
A professional Scan-to-BIM workflow is a gated production line: plan the capture for the modelling purpose, register with control, freeze a specification, model in disciplined packages, QA against the cloud, then publish through a CDE with clear status.
Phase 0 — Purpose & information requirements
Write the decision the model must support: demolition, new MEP routing, heritage record, digital twin seed, etc. Purpose controls density, LOD, and budget.
Phase 1 — Scan planning
- Targets / control network.
- Access, night shifts, infection control, ATEX zones.
- Expected occlusions and recapture loops.
Phase 2 — Register & package clouds
Deliver regionally cropped clouds for modellers (performance), plus a master archive. Document registration reports.
Phase 3 — Production modelling
Package by floor/zone/discipline. Daily section reviews beat end-loaded QA. Keep issue logs for ambiguities.
Phase 4 — QA, federation, CDE publish
Deviation checks, federate with design models, publish Work In Progress → Shared → Published per ISO 19650-minded CDE states.
Gate reviews that prevent rework
- Gate A — purpose + LOD matrix signed
- Gate B — registration report accepted
- Gate C — sample zone modelled + QA’d before full production
- Gate D — federation with design models
- Gate E — publish package + exclusions log
Issue log hygiene
Ambiguous geometry should become tickets with cloud screenshots, not silent modeller guesses. Clients who refuse to answer tickets inherit the risk — write that into the BEP.
Frequently asked questions
Who should own the BEP for Scan-to-BIM?
The appointing party sets information requirements; the lead appointing modeller/scanner joint BEP should define LOD, coordinates, and QA before production.
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