Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

3DVEM, Leica Cyclone Register 360, FARO Scene, LFM Suite, Autodesk ReCAP, Riegl RiScan Pro, Trimble RealWorks, Etc.
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Jana-at-kubit
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by Jana-at-kubit »

Hi,

I appreciate that so many of you are contributing to this discussion. And I am really glad that Autodesk and FARO are reading this thread too. Let's hope this leads to improvements in scan registration in both packages.

Looks like it really depends on the type of project and the experience of the user which way of registration is preferred.

Thank you so far and keep posting your thoughts.
Jana Siebenbrodt
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by ddustin »

I started looking into purchasing recap Pro and found only a rental option.
To "rent" recap pro for a year is $3,600 for a year or $450 per month?
David
http://www.autodesk.com/store/recap-pro
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by imcid953 »

A few months ago my I.T. guy tried installing ReCap on the computer we use to process scans. The install completed, but the program wouldn't start. He tried the install on a clean box he keeps in his office for trials and it installed, and I think starts. He installed it on my computer and it installs and starts, but when I try to import scans it says it did, but doesn't. Autodesk has supposedly been working on fixing this, but we haven't heard back from them. (Not holding my breath here.) He thinks it may be an issue with the system registry. It has so many changes ReCap won't install properly. So far all I've used is Scene.

Bill
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by ddustin »

There is a fix for the registry portion. I helped a client out with this but didn't keep the link to the page with the instructions.
Once the fix is in place it will work correctly.

David
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by bwiab »

Point Cloud registration, whatever method used, should be left to the experts, surveyors in my opinion and also done in the correct software.
What makes surveyors experts at Point Cloud registration. I understand that their background is
tripod based line-of-sight observations
and that a clear understanding of
Baseline, primary control, least squares & closed loops
is required, but how does that effect the registration process.

It's probably obvious that I have never registered a scan. My team of draftsmen, however, is responsible for the actual registration. We've completed a handful of them now. We are working hand in hand with a licensed surveyor who is responsible for control points and siting the existing structures that we are scanning within the campus. He is not responsible, however, for actually registering the scan. Should he be?

We are using Faro Scene. We've had some issues with it renaming our targets.
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by imcid953 »

I've been working as a survey technician now for about 6 months (although I operated a total station unit for approximately 7 years). As of today, I am of the opinion, the correlation between running a total station and running a scanner is limited to a few items, such as making sure it's level (FARO has greatly reduced the need for accuracy in leveling) and checking your line of sight. Otherwise, scanning to me appears to be a whole new animal. You have considerations of overlap, shadows, range, noise, etc. While these may exist in conventional total station operation to a degree, they are not of the same importance as with a scanner.

As for using ReCap. It is now working on my computer and I have tried it once. It was a relatively small project of 24 scans, but my largest to date. (I'm am just a pupster. :lol: ) I heard AutoCAD 2015 no longer allows you to "pointcloudindex" FARO scan files in and build a point cloud. The webinar I was watching advised to build or convert the point cloud in ReCap and save it, then import this file into AutoCAD 2015. So, I'm trying to figure out how to work ReCap.

First off, I don't like the menus. In an attempt to make it uncomplicated, they made it non-intuitive (in my opinion). I definitely didn't like having to go through and redo my point cloud. (I'm sure there is a way to import in an existing point cloud and convert it, but I only starting looking at this yesterday.) Having to go through and pick corresponding planes was a real challenge in some of my scans and even though it was only 24 scans, it was starting to become tedious. Finally, it looks like my scans didn't align properly, so now I'm scratching my head wondering what next. I guess, it's figure out how to bring the point cloud Scene created into ReCap.

Finally, being new to surveying, but not new to life; I find the survey field to be plagued with the same distresses found in everyday life. This being, people tend to over-emphasize the importance of specialists and specialties. Yes, life today is more complicated and many things require a specialist to perform them (i.e. designing a rocket motor and performing brain surgery). Surveying is a critical job, must be done correctly, and does require special knowledge, training, and experience to do properly. However, everything in the survey field does not require a surveyor. How many licensed surveyors actually go out and hold the rod or run the total station? How many of them actually process the data that comes in? Or, produce the final drawings? How many have other, competent people perform these tasks and then review their work? How many of these highly skilled and trained people (who are not actually surveyors) could produce a true and accurate product? I yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman (or woman) from (where-ever) who wishes to speak next.

Bill
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by imcid953 »

Maybe I should add: it was not my intent to "dis" the surveyor profession or anyone in it.

Bill
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by Jana-at-kubit »

Hi Bill,

Do I understand you right. You already have point clouds in older AutoCAD formats PCG and want to get them into new AutoCAD 2015? If so you would not need to register original FARO scan data with ReCap Pro but just import and convert your old PCG files using ReCap (without Pro).

Also if you have scans already registered with FARO Scene there is no need for re-registering them with ReCap Pro. You could simply import in "basic" ReCap and index them to RCP/RCS.

Sorry if you got you wrong.
Jana
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by geowac »

@Bill: interesting point of view :D
imcid953 wrote:As of today, I am of the opinion, the correlation between running a total station and running a scanner is limited to a few items, such as making sure it's level (FARO has greatly reduced the need for accuracy in leveling) and checking your line of sight. Otherwise, scanning to me appears to be a whole new animal. You have considerations of overlap, shadows, range, noise, etc. While these may exist in conventional total station operation to a degree, they are not of the same importance as with a scanner.
I mostly agree with this!
imcid953 wrote:I heard AutoCAD 2015 no longer allows you to "pointcloudindex" FARO scan files in and build a point cloud.
Yes, you need to use ReCap as "man in the middel"

imcid953 wrote:... it was only 24 scans, it was starting to become tedious. Finally, it looks like my scans didn't align properly, so now I'm scratching my head wondering what next. I guess, it's figure out how to bring the point cloud Scene created into ReCap.
In my opinion, (most time) it's best to use the registration software, delivered with the scanner. I use SCENE for FARO-Devices and "others" for other vendors scanners ;) But always improvement of the registration is possible and the Software-packages with the scanners are far far away from specialized registration software!
imcid953 wrote:This being, people tend to over-emphasize the importance of specialists and specialties.
I do not agree with this point of view! We have specialists for every task in a project:
  • specialist for scanning (more than one, specialist depends on the object to scan!)
  • specialist for preprocessing and registration (most time not the scanning person)
  • specialist for postprocessing - someone to get the data to the desired software in the desired resolution, making the WebShare/TruView/..., cutting the data apart for the next step
  • specialist for generating CAD-Drawings / for Modelling (ACAD, 3DS, C4D, Revit, Bentley products, ...)
  • specialist for presentation the data to the customer (make Films, Web-Sites, Posters, Postcards, ...) and writing the project documentation (most time only for in house use)
Unfortunately most specialized skills are not combined in one person. Therefore most time every step of a project goes to another desk :(

Conclusion ;)
I prefer to register in SCENE (with the help of additional APPs), make a WebShare/WebShareCloud, import to ReCap for (in my opinion) fast navigation and slicing but I do not prefer ReCap for Registration of SCENE-Data. Use this rcs/rcp in AutoCad 2014/15 to make quick drawings of slices for documentation and meetings. Thats my use of ReCap...

Unfortunately there is no way back as in other software, too... No possibility to export the transformations from ReCap so far (to get them to SCENE is no problem anymore)...

Regards
Stefan
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Re: Autodesk ReCap Pro vs FARO Scene

Post by imcid953 »

Jana,

I want to put new scans into AutoCAD 2015 that I registered in Scene.

Bill
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