Client Testimonial: “TruePoint Laser Scanning was a great partner to The Virginia Air and Space Science Center. The team at TruePoint was open and honest about the pricing and process. I was even happier when I heard they were able to meet an already tight deadline and budget. TruePoint had a quick turnaround on deliverables that saved time within the project. We look forward to working with them on future projects.” -- Michael T., Director of Facilities - The Virginia Air and Space Science Center

Project Manager Insight: “3D laser scanning offers a planning tool for The Virginia Air and Space Science Center to continue its tradition of delivering innovative and exciting exhibits.” Nate Baker, TruePoint Northeast Regional Manager.

Location: Hampton, Virginia

Task: The Virginia Air and Space Science Center reached out to TruePoint laser scanning to 3D laser scan the main exhibit space. The museum’s design team wanted a digital representation of the space to begin design planning and renovation. TruePoint created a design-intent LOD 200 structural and architectural model of the 2-level exhibit area.

Challenge: There were many challenges for this project. The Virginia Air and Space Science Center was under a tight budget and a tight timeline. The museum was an active, public space, they did not want to interrupt visitor hours. The exhibit space had undulating walls with a series of wavelike bends, curves and elevations. Not to mention, it was filled with historic aircrafts and artifacts.

Solution: TruePoint 3D laser scanned the museum in less than 2 hours in the early morning to avoid interrupting visiting hours. The project manager used a combination of the Leica P50 ScanStation and the Leica RTC360 laser scanners to reduce time on site. This method of laser scanning workflow quickly provided this client an accurate and comprehensive dataset of spatial information for design planners to create new exhibits digitally before they are constructed. The client needed exact dimensions of the undulating wall heights and the lengths of the soffits, information which was easily captured with the laser scanner. Laser scanning captures data from a distance, making it nonintrusive and safe for the historic aircrafts and artifacts.

Deliverables: TruePoint delivered a design-intent LOD 200 structural and architectural model of the 2-level interior exhibit area. From this model, plans, sections, and detailed elevation drawings were produced by the client. The aptitude to cut these sheets saved them money, as they only had to pay for the 3D model. The client also received the point cloud data in .rcs file format.

Added Value: TruePoint 3D laser scanned one-third of the museum, with the intention of scanning the rest of the museum at a later date. TruePoint CAD technicians can align the current data set and model to the future scan data. Using the 3D model, design planners can showcase artifacts in innovative ways and create cutting edge exhibits. And, the current exhibit can be accessed digitally once it is deconstructed.

About the Client: The Virginia Air & Space Science Center is celebrating more than 25 years of educational excellence as the official visitor center for NASA Langley Research Center. Located in Hampton, Virginia, the birthplace of America’s space program, the Virginia Air & Space Science Center features interactive aviation exhibits spanning 100 years of flight, more than 30 historic aircrafts, a hands-on space exploration gallery, unique space flight artifacts and more.

3D Laser Scanning in Virginia: For 3D laser scanning services in Virginia call 703-835-5226 or email richmond@truepointscanning.com.

About TruePoint Laser Scanning: TruePoint has extensive experience 3D laser scanning, museums, historic buildings and heritage applications. TruePoint is a leading provider of 3D laser scanning services. Our team of project managers, engineers, architects and CAD technicians deliver the highest quality point cloud data, as built drawings, and scan to BIM models, using state-of-the-art equipment, technology and processes. We use industry-leading survey-grade laser scanners to provide exact dimensions and measurements of large-scale projects with an accuracy of 2-4mm.