Case Study: 3D Laser Scanning for a Washline System Installation (K&D Systems)
Task: Collaborating with K&D Systems project managers to install a new washline system in their client's existing building.
Challenge: Identifying the interior building height restrictions and measuring the locations of the critical structural members that would affect the installation process.
Solution: After discussing the project objectives and requirements with the K&D Systems project manager, Strategic CAD Concepts conducted a site visit to assess the existing conditions and challenges. Using a FARO premium scanner, a high-precision 3D laser scanning device, the area was scanned and captured in a dense point cloud of X,Y,Z coordinates.
Deliverable: The scanned data was processed and converted into a 3D model that accurately represented the critical points and dimensions of the structure. The model was then imported into a CAD software and used as a reference for designing the new washline system.
Added Value: By capturing the site data in 3D, Strategic CAD Concepts was able to optimize the location and layout of the new washline system, avoiding any potential conflicts or interferences with the existing structure. This also enabled faster and more efficient design iterations, as well as improved communication and collaboration with K&D Systems. The 3D scanning solution provided by Strategic CAD Concepts ensured a smooth and successful installation of the new washline system, saving time, money, and resources for both parties.
Case Study: BIM Coordination for a Food & Beverage Processing Line Retrofit (Midwest)
Task: A food and beverage processing company was retrofitting an existing production line with new packaging equipment and needed the mechanical, electrical, and structural trades coordinated before installation began.
Challenge: The facility had been modified multiple times since its original construction, and the existing drawings no longer reflected the current layout of overhead utilities, structural steel, and process piping. The packaging equipment vendor's installation drawings were based on generic clearances, not the specific conditions in this building.
Solution: Strategic CAD Concepts scanned the affected area of the facility to capture accurate as-built conditions, then built a coordination model combining the new equipment, existing structure, and utility runs. Clash detection was run in Navisworks against the full model to identify conflicts between the new equipment footprint and existing overhead systems before fabrication and installation began.
Deliverable: An accurate as-built model of the affected area, a coordinated installation model with clashes resolved, and updated reference drawings for the plant's facilities team to use going forward.
Added Value: Several conflicts between the new equipment and existing overhead electrical conduit were identified and resolved on paper, avoiding field rework and keeping the installation on the plant's planned production downtime window.
Case Study: Reverse-Engineered Replacement Components for a Legacy Industrial Machine (Southeast)
Task: A manufacturer needed replacement parts for an industrial machine that was still in daily use but was no longer supported by its original equipment manufacturer, with no surviving drawings for several key components.
Challenge: The components in question were highly specific to the machine, and sourcing new parts required an accurate CAD model that a machine shop could quote and manufacture against — not just measurements, but real, dimensioned geometry with correct tolerances.
Solution: Strategic CAD Concepts scanned the existing components to capture their precise geometry, then built parametric CAD models suitable for manufacturing, correcting for wear and confirming critical dimensions against the parts' functional requirements rather than simply copying them as-is.
Deliverable: A complete set of manufacturing-ready CAD models and drawings for the replacement components, along with the reverse-engineered models retained for any future replacement needs.
Added Value: The manufacturer was able to source replacement parts from a new supplier without further downtime, and now has CAD documentation for equipment that previously had none — eliminating the need to repeat this process the next time a part wears out.