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Dales Marine Services Ltd, Digital Capture of Pilot Boats
Morson Praxis were appointed by Dales Marine Services Ltd to produce accurate 3D layouts of two pilot boats to support their upcoming engine refits.
Client Brief
Precise and detailed
Dales Marine required precise and detailed layouts of two pilot boats currently in dry dock. The objective was to obtain accurate spatial data to support both current documentation needs and potential future modifications to plant and equipment.
Due to the complexity of the vessels, the client needed a solution that would deliver high levels of accuracy, while also offering long-term value through the ability to conduct further spatial analysis as required.
Project Overview
Immediate documentation
Our team was appointed to carry out a laser measurement survey and produce accurate layouts of the two pilot boats. Following discussions with the client and an understanding of the boats’ complexity, we proposed a point cloud survey to capture the existing environment with precision and efficiency.
The resulting detailed 3D model provided the client with not only immediate documentation but also the added benefit of enabling accurate measurements and spatial analysis—supporting future decisions regarding plant and equipment upgrades or reconfigurations.
Image Gallery
From concept to completion, a truly multi-disciplinary solution.
Our Solution
Leveraging data to ensure accuracy
With each boat made up of several small compartments, our team utilised a terrestrial laser scanning approach to obtain and provide high accuracy data (<2mm). By taking multiple scans below deck, paying close attention to key elements such as engine mounts and exhaust ductwork, a 3D point cloud of the target areas was produced. The 3D point cloud enabled the design team to model directly in a 3D environment, ensuring the new engine tied in with the existing mounts, and that a new exhaust and scrubbers could be easily routed through the boat.
To aid in repositioning the exhausts, scans were also taken externally around the external hull of each pilot boat, with rigorous survey control used to tie each data set together.
A key challenge faced was working within the small compartments below deck. Although the existing engines had been removed, the working space was tight which meant taking scans in more locations to ensure all the key details of the retained equipment and hull structure were fully captured.
Results
Fully navigable model
The project deliverable provided the client with a fully navigable visual and point cloud model of the two pilot boats, which could be readily accessed and interogated with an intuitive free view software solution. As such, the 3D point cloud was utilised directly by the design teams software to ensure full 3D coordination of the refit within each boat.
To provide the client and design team with further insight, a virtual tour was created of each pilot boat to provide a navigable visual environment which added further context to the project. This in conjunction with the 3D point cloud mitigated the need for re-visit to obtain addition measurements or information.
Testimonials
Hear from the experts
Andrew Malcolm, Business Development at Dales Marine Services Ltd shared:
“Dales Marine were contracted to re-engine two pilot boats with four MAN Units. Our approach to the client was to offer a turn key package for the upgrade. We reached out to the team to have the vessels 3D scanned to ensure we eliminated and addressed any design and installation issues of the new engines, cooling and exhaust tier 3 systems.
“I have to say that we were very impressed with the timely and professional service we received from the Waldeck team and of course the quality of information and images received from the 3D scan process.”
