What are Demon’s metrology features?

Demon3D provides you with a comprehensive set of measurement and cross section tools. These allow you to make arbitrary measurements such as the commonly used distance and radial measurements, to more specialised measurements such as Bronze Age toolmark width/height ratios.

Seahenge timber 031 with radius

Demon3D’s cross section tools allow you to generate sections at any angle through laser scans and produce AutoCAD compatible polylines as output. Multiple cross sections can also be automatically generated at regular intervals from an initial “seed” cross section or along an axis. All the different 3D datatypes that Demon3D supports can have sections generated through them including triangle meshes, point clouds and terrain models.

Who are these features useful for?

These tools are aimed at any users who need to take measurements of features on a laser scan. For example:

1. archaeologists might wish to measure small features on scanned finds or generate accurate cross sections for illustration and post-excavation analysis
2. architects might wish to measure the sizes of individual bricks or pieces of stonework for replacement or generate sectional views of a building as part of the drawing process
3. engineers might wish to make extremely high accuracy measurements of critical dimensions of scanned objects prior to manufacturing.

Why would these features be useful to me?

The accuracy of measurement possible with laser scan data can be far higher than if made with conventional tools. In addition, measurements can be taken that simply could not be made in the real world. For example, the exact depth of a brick forming part of a wall could be easily measured on laser scans, but might prove tricky in reality.

1. From an archaeological perspective, quite often the sections drawn as part of illustrations are not accurate as the object itself cannot be cut into pieces. Demon can generate accurate profiles in a completely non-intrusive manner as seen in the following picture of a Bronze Age wooden ladle:

   A Bronze Age wooden ladle with profiles

2. From an architectural perspective, sectional “slices” of buildings are a common way of recording the plan of the structure showing the positions of internal walls and supports. Demon can generate accurate AutoCAD-compatible plans instantaneously.

   Plan of Orcheston Parish Church created with sectioning

3. From an engineering perspective, cross sections of the scan data allow you to make measurements “on the plane” ensuring that the dimensions being measured are without distortion in the third dimension. This is essential when measuring critical dimensions.

   Turbine Blade with Critical Dimension