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Transformer Substation Documentation

LOD 350–400Detail delivered
±2 mmAs-built accuracy

The situation

An electrical transformer/substation unit needed a fully reverse-engineered BIM model before the client's MEP team could begin detailed design work — the existing paperwork didn't reflect what was actually installed, and the equipment was dense enough (transformer body, switchgear, cable routing) that guessing from photos wasn't an option.

The approach

A Leica Total Station control network was established around the unit first, then the FARO Focus captured the full point cloud — every panel, conduit run, and clearance gap. Because the deliverable needed to support fabrication-level MEP work, we modeled it at LOD 350–400 rather than stopping at a coordination-grade pass: every element that would actually be touched during construction is geometrically real, not a placeholder mass.

The outcome

The client's MEP team took the model straight into detailed design without a second site visit — every clearance and connection point was already verified against the as-built condition.

Isometric BIM model of the transformer substation
Isometric BIM model of the transformer substation
Front elevation BIM view of the transformer substation
Front elevation BIM view of the transformer substation

Services used

Scan to BIM →Industrial Plant Scan to BIM →Hungary →

Questions about this project

Why was LOD 350–400 chosen instead of a lower tier?
The MEP team needed to move straight into fabrication-level detailed design, which requires every panel, conduit, and clearance to be geometrically real rather than a placeholder mass — that's specifically what LOD 350–400 delivers.
How was the accuracy verified?
The FARO point cloud was registered against a Leica Total Station control network established around the unit before capture, which is what produced the ±2 mm as-built accuracy figure.
Did the site need to be shut down for the scan?
No — this is the same approach we use on any live electrical or industrial unit: scanning scheduled around access windows rather than requiring a full shutdown.
What format was the model delivered in?
Coordinated Revit geometry, ready for the client's MEP team to work in directly, alongside the underlying registered point cloud.
Could a similar project skip a second site visit if scope changes later?
Yes — because the point cloud is the single source of truth, a later change in scope can usually be processed from the same capture rather than requiring a new site visit.

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