FARO 3D Laser Scanning and SolidWorks Design Services

Connecting Real-World Industrial Assets with Engineering-Ready 3D CAD Models

Hamilton By Design Co. combines FARO 3D measurement technology with SolidWorks mechanical design to help clients move from real-world site conditions to accurate, practical and fabrication-ready engineering information.

Our integrated workflow brings together:

FARO terrestrial and mobile LiDAR scanning
FARO SCENE and FARO Connect point-cloud processing
Point-cloud registration and quality verification
Scan-to-CAD and reverse engineering
SolidWorks parts and assemblies
Mechanical design and engineering assessment
Fabrication and installation drawings
Final dimensional and clearance verification

The objective is not simply to produce an impressive 3D image. It is to transform captured site information into an engineering model that can support design decisions, fabrication, plant modifications, shutdown planning and installation.

How FARO Technology Integrates with SolidWorks

FARO provides the measurement hardware and software used to capture and process the physical environment. SolidWorks provides the mechanical design environment used to reconstruct, modify and develop that captured information into usable engineering geometry.

The connected workflow can be represented as:

FARO scanner → FARO processing software → registered point cloud → selected engineering geometry → SolidWorks model → drawings and fabrication deliverables

Each stage has a different purpose.

The FARO point cloud is the measured record of the existing asset. The SolidWorks model is the structured engineering interpretation of that measured information.

This distinction is important. A point cloud does not automatically become a fabrication-ready SolidWorks model. Engineering judgement is required to determine which surfaces, centres, datums, clearances and dimensions are important to the project.

Stage 1: Capturing Existing Conditions with FARO

Hamilton By Design uses FARO scanning technology to capture industrial plants, machinery, structures, pipework and difficult-to-access environments.

Depending on the size, complexity and accuracy requirements of the project, this may include:

FARO Focus Terrestrial Laser Scanning

The FARO Focus is suited to stationary, high-density capture of plant areas, structures, equipment and tie-in locations.

Multiple scan positions can be used to capture:

Mechanical equipment
Structural steelwork
Conveyors and transfer stations
Chutes and hoppers
Pipework and plant services
Platforms and walkways
Equipment foundations
Existing connection points
Installation routes and access areas

Terrestrial scanning is particularly valuable where existing conditions need to be captured from several directions and where dimensional relationships between multiple assets are important.

FARO Orbis Mobile Scanning

The FARO Orbis can be used for rapid mobile capture of larger industrial areas, buildings, warehouses and production facilities.

Mobile scanning is useful when a project requires:

Rapid capture of extensive areas
Plant-layout information
General spatial coordination
Access-route verification
Existing-condition documentation
Preliminary equipment positioning
Repeat scanning of changing facilities

Terrestrial and mobile scanning can also be combined. Mobile LiDAR may provide the overall project context, while stationary scans provide more detailed information around critical connections, equipment or fabrication interfaces.

Stage 2: Processing the Scan Data

The individual scans must be processed, aligned and checked before they can be used as reliable design information.

FARO SCENE software is used to process and register terrestrial scan data. Registration combines the individual scanner positions into a coordinated three-dimensional dataset.

The processing stage can include:

Importing the individual scans
Applying scan-processing filters
Aligning overlapping scan positions
Registering scans using cloud-to-cloud relationships
Using targets or survey control where required
Reviewing registration results
Checking for movement or alignment errors
Removing unwanted or transient information
Creating a coordinated project point cloud
Establishing a suitable project coordinate system

For FARO Orbis mobile data, FARO Connect software can be used to process, filter, colourise and export the captured information. Orbis data can also be brought into FARO SCENE when additional registration control or integration with terrestrial scans is required.

This stage turns the raw scan files into a controlled digital representation of the site.

Stage 3: Preparing FARO Data for SolidWorks

A complete industrial point cloud may contain millions or billions of measured points. Importing the entire dataset directly into SolidWorks is not always practical or necessary.

Before modelling begins, Hamilton By Design identifies the specific project area and the level of detail required.

The scan data may be:

Cropped to the relevant equipment or plant area
Divided into manageable sections
Filtered to remove unwanted points
Reduced to an appropriate point density
Aligned with a local engineering coordinate system
Separated into mechanical, structural and pipework areas
Converted into sections, meshes or reference geometry
Exported in an appropriate exchange format

FARO SCENE can export point-cloud information in formats including E57, PTS, XYZ and RCS. E57 may be retained as a neutral master point-cloud format, while selected project areas can be converted into a format suitable for the chosen SolidWorks workflow.

SolidWorks’ ScanTo3D functionality can work with supported point-cloud and mesh files. However, for large industrial projects, the most effective approach is generally to prepare and simplify the required scan area before it is introduced into the mechanical design environment.

This provides better model performance and keeps the SolidWorks design focused on the geometry that affects fabrication, fit-up and installation.

Three Ways FARO Data Can Be Used in SolidWorks

1. Point Cloud as a Modelling Reference

Selected point-cloud information can be used as a three-dimensional reference while new SolidWorks geometry is developed.

The designer can identify:

Existing planes and surfaces
Pipe and shaft centre lines
Equipment boundaries
Structural-member locations
Mounting and connection points
Flange positions
Existing clearances
Tie-in dimensions
Obstructions and access limitations

The required components are then recreated using normal SolidWorks features such as sketches, extrusions, revolved features, sweeps, lofts, sheet metal and weldments.

This produces an editable and structured SolidWorks model instead of an unmanageable collection of scan points.

2. Mesh or Surface-Based Reverse Engineering

For suitable components, the point cloud can be converted into a mesh or CAD surface before being introduced into SolidWorks.

FARO RevEng software can support the creation and editing of meshes and NURBS CAD surfaces from suitable point-cloud data.

This workflow may be appropriate for:

Worn components
Castings
Curved equipment
Complex fabricated shapes
Legacy parts with no drawings
Guards and covers
Vehicle or machinery panels
Components requiring surface comparison

The mesh or surface can be used as a reference while an editable SolidWorks part is reconstructed.

The final SolidWorks model can then include nominal dimensions, manufacturing features, material thicknesses, holes, flanges and other details that may not be represented correctly by an automatic mesh conversion.

3. Design Verification Against the Scan

Once the proposed SolidWorks design has been developed, it can be compared with the original scan information.

This allows Hamilton By Design to review:

Whether the proposed equipment fits within the available space
Whether connection points align
Whether pipework routes avoid existing services
Whether fabrication clearances are adequate
Whether access is available for installation
Whether maintenance areas remain accessible
Whether structural supports connect to the intended locations
Whether the proposed design introduces clashes

This closes the loop between the measured site information and the proposed engineering design.

From FARO Point Cloud to Native SolidWorks Model

Hamilton By Design does not treat an automatically generated mesh as the completed engineering model.

Where a native SolidWorks model is required, the relevant geometry is reconstructed using parametric CAD features. This can provide:

Editable dimensions
Defined hole positions
Nominal material thicknesses
Recognised pipe and structural sizes
Sheet-metal features
Weldment profiles
Part and assembly relationships
Configurations
Manufacturing information
Bill-of-materials data

This makes the model more useful for engineering changes, fabrication, procurement and future asset management.

A mesh may accurately represent the scanned surface, but a native SolidWorks model provides the design intelligence required for engineering and manufacturing.

Reverse Engineering Existing Equipment

Hamilton By Design’s reverse engineering and 3D scanning services can be used where original drawings or CAD files are missing.

A typical reverse-engineering workflow may include:

Scanning the existing equipment or component.
Processing and registering the FARO scan data.
Identifying wear, damage or deformation.
Establishing the likely original or nominal geometry.
Reconstructing the component in SolidWorks.
Reviewing materials and manufacturing requirements.
Checking the proposed model against the scan.
Producing fabrication or replacement-part drawings.

This is particularly valuable for legacy mining and industrial equipment where replacement parts are unavailable or where the existing component needs to be improved rather than copied exactly.

Brownfield Plant Design

The connection between FARO and SolidWorks is especially valuable for brownfield projects.

Existing industrial facilities commonly contain:

Undocumented modifications
Equipment that differs from the original drawings
Congested pipework and services
Restricted installation access
Limited shutdown windows
Structures that have moved or been altered
Incomplete maintenance records
Legacy equipment with missing CAD data

By using engineering-grade 3D laser scanning before design work begins, Hamilton By Design can develop SolidWorks models around the conditions that actually exist.

This reduces reliance on assumptions and helps identify potential fit-up problems before fabrication.

SolidWorks Mechanical Design Development

Once the site context has been established, Hamilton By Design can use SolidWorks to develop:

New mechanical equipment
Replacement components
Conveyor and chute modifications
Pump and equipment skids
Pipework and fabricated spools
Platforms and access structures
Guards and maintenance covers
Equipment support frames
Plant-layout modifications
Installation concepts
Special-purpose machinery

Our SolidWorks 3D modelling services are focused on practical engineering outcomes, not simply visual presentation.

The model can be developed further through design reviews, mechanical assessment, motion studies or Finite Element Analysis where these activities form part of the agreed engineering scope.

Typical Project Deliverables

Depending on the requirements of the project, deliverables may include:

Registered FARO point-cloud data
E57, RCP, RCS, LAS or XYZ scan files
Native SolidWorks part files
Native SolidWorks assembly files
STEP, Parasolid or SAT models
Simplified plant-layout models
General arrangement drawings
Mechanical fabrication drawings
Assembly and detail drawings
AutoCAD DWG files
DXF profiles for laser cutting
Bills of materials
PDF drawing packages
Installation and equipment-location drawings
Scan-to-design verification images

Deliverables and required accuracy should be agreed before scanning begins so that the field-capture and modelling workflow suits the final engineering purpose.

Can FARO Point Clouds Be Imported Directly into SolidWorks?

Supported point-cloud or mesh data can be opened using the appropriate SolidWorks functionality. However, a complete registered industrial scan is often too large and contains far more information than is required for mechanical modelling.

A controlled workflow is therefore normally used:

Preserve the complete FARO point cloud as the master site record
Extract the relevant project area
Establish the correct units and coordinate system
Reduce or filter the data where necessary
Convert the selected geometry into a compatible point-cloud, mesh or surface format
Develop the required native SolidWorks parts and assemblies
Compare the finished design against the scan data

This approach provides the advantages of comprehensive reality capture without unnecessarily overloading the SolidWorks model.

Does a FARO Scan Automatically Produce a SolidWorks Model?

No. Scanning captures the visible surfaces of the existing asset. It does not automatically determine:

Material specifications
Nominal wall thicknesses
Internal construction
Design intent
Original unworn geometry
Allowable loads
Manufacturing tolerances
Welding requirements
Engineering compliance

These requirements must be established through engineering review, available documentation, physical inspection and discussions with the client.

The most valuable part of the workflow is the combination of accurate measurement with practical engineering interpretation.

Integrated FARO and SolidWorks Services Across Australia

Hamilton By Design provides integrated 3D scanning, CAD modelling and mechanical engineering support across Sydney, the NSW Central Coast, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and regional industrial and mining locations throughout Australia.

Projects can range from scanning and modelling a single component through to capturing an operating plant area for a major upgrade or shutdown.

Discuss Your FARO-to-SolidWorks Project

If you need to capture an existing asset, develop a replacement component, verify a brownfield modification or create fabrication drawings from real-world site conditions, Hamilton By Design can assist.

Send us your available drawings, photographs, models or project requirements. We can review the information and recommend an appropriate combination of FARO scanning, point-cloud processing, SolidWorks modelling and engineering documentation.

Contact Hamilton By Design Co. to discuss your FARO 3D scanning and SolidWorks design project.

Hamilton By Design Co. — Mechanical Engineering | FARO 3D Scanning | SolidWorks 3D Modelling

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