Application of Terrestrial Laser Scanner in Particle Accelerator and Reverse-Engineering Solutions

Abstract

Terrestrial laser scanners can collect a million points per second. This technology is widely used in fields such as topography, forensics, building, mining, as-built surveying, architecture, archaeology, monitoring, civil engineering, and urban modeling. In this article, a novel application for particle accelerators is presented. The Leica ScanStation P20 from Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (North Kingstown, RI) has been used to collect point-cloud data and high-dynamic range (HDR) images of the inner wall of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) particle accelerator main storage ring tunnel at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, CA. Submillimeter-accuracy registration of multiple setups was performed on sphere-shaped targets using an existing monument network previously surveyed by a laser tracker. Data were exported in a web-based point cloud with HDR images. Direct surface reconstructions in Inventor 3D CAD from Autodesk (Windsor, ON) provide a parametric solid model of all significant features such as wire-ways, pipelines, air ducts, and electrical boxes.