Intera Survey

Technology & methodology

The laser scanning equipment and workflow behind every deliverable

Every Intera Survey deliverable — CAD, Model, or BIM — starts from the same hybrid capture: a Leica Total Station control network and FARO laser scanning, processed only as far as the project needs.

Equipment

What we scan with

FARO Focus Premium

FARO Focus Premium

Our primary scanner for most site captures — fast, dense point-cloud capture across a wide working range.

FARO Focus S150

FARO Focus S150

Range 0.6–150 m, ranging error ±1 mm, up to ~2,000,000 points/second, integrated camera up to 165 MP, IP54-rated, 4.2 kg.

Leica Total Station

Leica Total Station

Establishes the coordinated control/target-point network that every FARO point cloud is registered against — the step that makes the accuracy real, not just internally consistent.

Equipment at a glance

InstrumentPrimary roleKey spec
Leica Total StationControl network / georeferencingFixed control points every scan registers against
FARO Focus PremiumPrimary site scannerFast, dense capture across a wide working range
FARO Focus S150High-detail / long-range capture0.6–150 m range, ±1 mm, ~2,000,000 pts/s, IP54, 4.2 kg

The workflow

Four steps, every project

  1. 1

    Control network

    A Leica Total Station establishes a geo-referenced network of control points across the site.

  2. 2

    FARO capture

    The FARO Focus Premium / S150 captures the point cloud; registration is tied to the Total Station control points, not cloud-to-cloud alone.

  3. 3

    Registration

    Every FARO scan is registered to that control network, not to whichever scan sits next to it — this is what deliverable accuracy actually depends on, not the scanner's own spec sheet.

  4. 4

    Need-LOD processing

    Detail is raised only where the client's specific use case requires it, lowered elsewhere — the same registered point cloud can become a CAD drawing, a 3D model, or a BIM model.

The Need-LOD philosophy

Why we don't default to maximum detail

A model built to the highest possible level of detail costs more and takes longer than the project actually needs, more often than not. We choose the tier — CAD level, Model tier, or BIM LOD — with the client up front, based on what the deliverable has to do, not out of habit.

Asked about certification specifically? See the honest answer on the Scan to BIM page →

FAQ

Technology — frequently asked

What scanners do you actually use?
FARO Focus Premium and FARO Focus S150 laser scanners, paired with a Leica Total Station for control — see the equipment list above for the exact specs.
Why register against a Total Station network instead of just aligning scans to each other?
Cloud-to-cloud alignment can drift over a large or complex site; tying every scan to a geo-referenced Total Station control network keeps the whole capture accurate against real-world coordinates, not just internally consistent.
How many points does a scan actually capture?
Up to roughly 2,000,000 points per second at ranges up to 150 m with the FARO Focus S150 — dense enough to resolve small details like pipe diameters and window mullions.
Do you hold a formal accuracy certification?
No ISO 19650 certificate — our accuracy comes from the hybrid Total Station + FARO workflow itself, described here rather than claimed as a badge. See the Scan to BIM page's certification section for the full explanation.
Can the same capture be reused for a different deliverable later?
Yes — the registered point cloud is the single source of truth; a CAD drawing, a 3D model, and a BIM model can all be processed from the same capture without a second site visit.

Have a specific technical question?

Tell us about your project and we'll walk through exactly how the workflow applies to it.

Get a Quote →