Process
Overview
For further clean-up of the point cloud, sectioning and exporting out a point cloud file for use in other software or workflows. This part of the workflow must be done using CYCLONE FIELD 360, a desktop application.
Access
CYCLONE FIELD 360 is only available on the separate processing laptop. If there are any issues with the startup regarding licenses, please seek help at the MSD Loans Desk.
Application Overview
The top menu has your standard File > Open/Save and Preferences/Settings. Right beneath it is the Workflow Menu, you will work from left to right through: Import: for importing your data from the iPad Review and Optimise: for Registration Finalise: for previewing and verifying the results Report: for exporting point clouds and generating reports on accuracy and alignment
The left menu is generally used as an overview of your data, use this menu to view/select individual Setups, Bundles and Links.
The 3D Viewport shows a preview of the point cloud that can be navigated. Any further processing will also be done here.
The right menu is generally used for the Assistant and Properties panels. The Assistant panel has extra controls and options when going through the workflow, while the Properties panel relays information.
This giant red button moves your project to the next stage of the workflow.
Import
On the desktop app CYCLONE REGISTER 360, all Importing is done in the first IMPORT step.
Begin by starting a new project:
Set up the Sync Server
Connect both the iPad and the computer to the same internet network, and on the iPad enable the sync server. Take note of the IP Address and Port number on the ensuing screen.
The iPad should be awake and the FIELD 360 app open during the entire transfer process; otherwise, the transfer process will be interrupted and you will have to start over again. Ideally put the iPad on charge while you transfer especially for large projects that may have long transfer times.
Sync to the iPad
Click on [Field 360]
Input the IP Address and Port Number as displayed on the iPad. Ensure that both iPad and the machine running the desktop app is on the same network.
Import
If you have been following our recommended workflow so far, use the Register settings as depicted above (all unchecked, except for Pre-Registered).
Select the projects you wish to import in the left menu, and [Import] the data.
For reference, the registration settings are explained here if applicable:
Auto Target/Auto Sphere Target
Recommended: OFF
Enable only if you used targets in your scanning. Official targets are currently not available at the MSD.
Auto Cloud + Smart Align
Recommended: OFF
Enable to allow the software to automatically make links, this will overwrite your existing links. Smart align allows some finer control over the process, only if you are using a background image.
Pre-Registered
Recommended: ON
Enable if data was pre-registered, using the iPad app or from other programs.
Errors Introduction
After Registration, the Properties panel on the right will give you an overview of the overall accuracy.
This properties panel displays various errors and associated link parameters that help assess the quality of individual links or the entire bundle.
Overlap
This is the average percentage of overlapping area in links. it indicates how much the two clouds overlap each other.
A good rule of thumb is at least 30% overlap.
While this serves as useful diagnostic tool alerting you to potential issues, for example, having poor overlap in a particular link, it's not necessarily a definitive sign of a serious issue, but the link should be examined to see if it should be improved or perhaps not used.
Strength
This matrix helps understand how well data is translated and represented across the X, Y, and Z axes. It shows how well the geometry of the overlap constrains the scan link in all 6 movement directions. (X, Y, Z & X, Y, Z rotation)
When hover over, it displays the percentage of data representation for each axis. When clicked, you can see a detailed view of strength metrics for each link.
For example:
A low strength on Z axis means the scans has weak vertical constraints, suggesting that there might be vertical offsets between scans and small rotational differences between scans.
A high strength on Z axis means the registration has strong vertical constraints, so the scans are well locked in height (up/down direction).
Better registration helps improve strength between scans, by ensuring proper alignment on all axes.
Cloud to Cloud
The average distance between the two point clouds after registration.
This is the most direct error measurement and should be minimised as much as possible. Anything below 0.005m (5mm) is within spec of the device and is considered as good as it can get.
It is a reliable indicator of quality, directly reflecting the effectiveness of visual alignment.
Bundle Error
This is the overall indicator of the link quality forming the Bundle, calculated as the average of Cloud-to-Cloud and target errors.
Target Error
(Only applicable if using Targets)
This is the average distance between pairs of targets that car connected in an individual setup.
Refinement
Registration
Register your scans here if you did not do so on the iPad's FIELD 360 or improve your links so that you have a strong network of scans.
Refer to the Register page and the desktop registration workflow for REGISTER 360:
RegisterRefine Registration
Check each link for errors and correct as much as possible.
Blue Link: Undefined - you should re-align it from the desktop software.
Red Link - Yellow Link - Green Link: Weak, mid, strong links. Try to remove red links as they may even be detrimental, and try to improve mid strength links.
This may involve shifting the order of your links or using masking during alignment, read more here:
Improving RegistrationColour Correction
Right click a scan to edit the 360 image (Right Click > Edit HDR Image).
There is a default editor for adjusting the colouration. I.e. to fix overly pink scans, adjust the Reinhart > Red Gain. Upon confirmation, it will update the point cloud colouration.
You can also export the 360 images, edit in your chosen software and re-import them to update the colouration.
Optimise Bundle
When your data set is fully prepared, [Optimise Bundle] to proceed to the next step.
Exporting 360 Images
Right-click any setup/scan and Export Panorama to a desired folder location. It will be automatically named after the setup name.
Finalise
This phase presents to you the final data set. Accept the dataset to proceed to the next step.
Report
When everything has been finalised, the Report phase is used for two primary purposes; Reporting and Exporting.
Reporting is used to generate a PDF that collates the Registration results; accuracy, alignment, strength of links amongst others. This is primarily used as proof for confirming that the dataset is accurate.
Exporting is for extracting all the point cloud data into a accessible and transferable formats to be used in other workflows.
Exporting
To export point cloud data, use the menu on the right.
With the Publish menu selected, the bottom batch of options are the point cloud export options.
The common file types are: PTS: Common raw point cloud file type with position (x, y, z) intensity, and colour (r, g, b) data for each point. E57: Common format for registered point clouds, can export as one single cloud or as separate aligned files, useful if you wish to do more processing in other software or workflows. It is recommended that you export as separate clouds for ease of processing. RCP: Autodesk Recap file if you wish to use this data in Autodesk Recap.
Finish
Ensure that you have save a copy of your data from Cyclone Register. The best way to do this is to export your project as a .raf archive file.
You can access the archive file from the 'Register 360 Saved Projects' folder.
Please remove any files from the Leica BLK360 and laptop as a courtesy as these are shared devices. Files on these devices are also frequently deleted.
Next Steps
Take a look at our Working with 3D Scan Data series on what you can do with Point Clouds.
Working with 3D Scan DataLast updated