Go beyond the spec sheet to unlock your perfect 3D Laser Scanning solution with these five important questions Purchasing a laser scanner shares striking similarities with buying a car! Purchasing a laser scanner shares striking similarities with buying a car! It represents a substantial investment, necessitates ongoing maintenance, boasts varying operational costs across different models, and showcases a range of performance capabilities. Naturally, your choice should align with its intended purpose – just as you wouldn’t opt for an electric car if your primary journeys involve long-distance travel through remote regions, neither would you select a gas-guzzler for driving into busy city centres. Similarly, it’s vital that the 3D Laser Scanning system you choose can produce the deliverables requested by your clients. But how do you distinguish the top performers from the rest of the pack? Setting priorities We’ve come a long way since the early days of laser scanning when there was very little choice; units cost upwards of £80k and even the best designed were heavy and cumbersome to transport. Today there is a choice for every application and budget but with so many options, which scanner is going to be the best choice for your current projects, your client’s deliverable and your future plans? The real challenge lies in surpassing the obvious inquiries about range, points per second, and accuracy to attain that elusive perfect balance that will deliver the right choice. Instead, we strongly encourage you to set aside the spec sheet, as it often fails to offer a true like for like comparison and instead, focus your attention on these five key questions to ask before making your investment. First up: 1. What is the cost of ownership v. unit cost? The unit price tag may look good but what are the ongoing expenses? It’s time to dig a little deeper. As a priority, we’d urge you to ask how often the scanner needs to be calibrated, after all you wouldn’t expect a reliable performance from your car if it wasn’t serviced regularly. It’s crucial to consider not only the financial aspect of calibration but also the duration your instrument will be unavailable for use, particularly when it requires international shipment. Additionally, factor in the expenses associated with acquiring a temporary replacement. By choosing a scanner with smart auto calibration, you’re minimising the risk of the scanner not collecting accurate data on important jobs and the risk of delivering something that could liability for the customer. Smart, self-calibrating scanners like Trimble’s X7 and X9 generate a report as a back up for every job you do. Under cost of ownership, it’s also important to check for hidden costs or the total production costs. That leather upholstery and heated seats can add up as can upgrades for firmware software licensing or any additional modules you may need to create your preferred deliverable, office processing time and investment in IT. Keep following this blog to see our next four questions! On Tuesday, September 26th 2023 – 11:00 AM (BST), we’ll be live with our ‘Scan Superiority’ webinar where we’ll be addressing: Lifetime Cost Self-levelling Auto calibration Weatherproof Fastest field to finish workflow In field auto registration Sign up for the ‘Scan Superiority’ webinar here This post has been tagged: 3D Laser Scanning, Trimble X7, Trimble X9 Tweet Share
Purchasing a laser scanner shares striking similarities with buying a car! It represents a substantial investment, necessitates ongoing maintenance, boasts varying operational costs across different models, and showcases a range of performance capabilities. Naturally, your choice should align with its intended purpose – just as you wouldn’t opt for an electric car if your primary journeys involve long-distance travel through remote regions, neither would you select a gas-guzzler for driving into busy city centres. Similarly, it’s vital that the 3D Laser Scanning system you choose can produce the deliverables requested by your clients. But how do you distinguish the top performers from the rest of the pack? Setting priorities We’ve come a long way since the early days of laser scanning when there was very little choice; units cost upwards of £80k and even the best designed were heavy and cumbersome to transport. Today there is a choice for every application and budget but with so many options, which scanner is going to be the best choice for your current projects, your client’s deliverable and your future plans? The real challenge lies in surpassing the obvious inquiries about range, points per second, and accuracy to attain that elusive perfect balance that will deliver the right choice. Instead, we strongly encourage you to set aside the spec sheet, as it often fails to offer a true like for like comparison and instead, focus your attention on these five key questions to ask before making your investment. First up: 1. What is the cost of ownership v. unit cost? The unit price tag may look good but what are the ongoing expenses? It’s time to dig a little deeper. As a priority, we’d urge you to ask how often the scanner needs to be calibrated, after all you wouldn’t expect a reliable performance from your car if it wasn’t serviced regularly. It’s crucial to consider not only the financial aspect of calibration but also the duration your instrument will be unavailable for use, particularly when it requires international shipment. Additionally, factor in the expenses associated with acquiring a temporary replacement. By choosing a scanner with smart auto calibration, you’re minimising the risk of the scanner not collecting accurate data on important jobs and the risk of delivering something that could liability for the customer. Smart, self-calibrating scanners like Trimble’s X7 and X9 generate a report as a back up for every job you do. Under cost of ownership, it’s also important to check for hidden costs or the total production costs. That leather upholstery and heated seats can add up as can upgrades for firmware software licensing or any additional modules you may need to create your preferred deliverable, office processing time and investment in IT. Keep following this blog to see our next four questions! On Tuesday, September 26th 2023 – 11:00 AM (BST), we’ll be live with our ‘Scan Superiority’ webinar where we’ll be addressing: Lifetime Cost Self-levelling Auto calibration Weatherproof Fastest field to finish workflow In field auto registration Sign up for the ‘Scan Superiority’ webinar here This post has been tagged: 3D Laser Scanning, Trimble X7, Trimble X9 Tweet Share