Solidworks Sydney

  3D Engineering Scanning and SolidWorks Sydney – From Existing Plant to Engineering-Ready CAD Engineering projects involving existing plant, machinery, structural steel or industrial equipment often begin with incomplete information. Old drawings may no longer reflect the actual installation. Equipment may have been replaced. Platforms may have been modified. Pipework may have moved. Additional structural steel may have been installed during earlier shutdowns. For engineers and designers working in SolidWorks Sydney , this creates a fundamental problem: How do you develop an accurate 3D model when the existing plant geometry is uncertain? One increasingly practical answer is 3D Engineering Scanning . By combining terrestrial 3D laser scanning with engineering interpretation and SolidWorks modelling, existing industrial assets can be captured digitally and brought into the CAD environment. The workflow becomes: Existing Plant → 3D Engineering Scanning → Point Cloud → SolidWorks Mod...

  Common Problems and Solutions Turning point cloud data into a usable SolidWorks model sounds straightforward, but in real projects it often becomes a source of delays, confusion, and costly rework. Many companies have scan data, but struggle to convert it into practical engineering information that can be used for design, fabrication, fit-up, or documentation. At Hamilton By Design Co., we support Sydney clients with point cloud to SolidWorks workflows for industrial, commercial, and existing-site projects. Whether the job involves plant upgrades, reverse engineering, structural steel, mechanical layouts, or existing building geometry, the real value comes from converting scan data into a model that is clear, accurate, and fit for purpose. Why Point Cloud to SolidWorks Projects Go Wrong A point cloud is not the same thing as a finished engineering model. A laser scan captures millions of measured points, but those points still need to be interpreted, simplified, and converted in...

  SolidWorks Keeps Crashing with Scan Data – Here’s Why If you’ve tried to open or work with point cloud data in SolidWorks and experienced crashes, lag, or freezing, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common problems engineers face when working with 3D laser scan data. The issue isn’t just software performance — it’s usually a mismatch between how scan data is structured and how SolidWorks is designed to operate. Why SolidWorks Struggles with Scan Data SolidWorks is built for parametric CAD modelling , not for handling massive datasets made up of millions (or billions) of points. A point cloud is fundamentally different from a CAD model: Point clouds = raw measurement data SolidWorks models = structured geometry When you try to force one into the other without preparation, problems start. Common Reasons SolidWorks Crashes 1. File Size Is Too Large Point cloud files (RCP, E57, LAS) can easily range from: 2 GB 10 GB 50 GB+ Trying to load this directly into SolidWorks can over...

  How to Model Existing Plant Equipment Without Drawings In many industrial and mining environments, one of the most common challenges is this: 👉 There are no reliable drawings. Equipment may have been installed years ago, modified multiple times, or sourced from suppliers where documentation is no longer available. Yet the need remains: Modify it Replace it Upgrade it Or integrate it into a new design So how do you accurately model existing plant equipment without drawings? The Reality of Brownfield Sites Most existing plants are not “as-designed” — they are as-built over time . That means: Dimensions don’t match original drawings Equipment has been moved or modified Supports and connections have changed Pipework has been rerouted Access platforms have been added Trying to model from assumptions in this environment leads to: ❌ Fit-up issues ❌ Rework ❌ Delays ❌ Increased cost The Old Way (And Why It Fails) Traditionally, engineers would: Measure manually Sketch key dimensions Esti...

SOLIDWORKS Sydney – Structural & Mechanical Detailing Powered by FARO Scanning In today’s mining and manufacturing environments, the biggest challenge is not modelling—it’s getting accurate, usable data to model from . Traditionally, structural and mechanical detailing relied on: Old drawings Site measurements Assumptions Rework That approach is slow, risky, and often wrong. Today, the process has changed. With FARO laser scanning, the design process starts with reality—not assumptions.   The Problem with Traditional Detailing Structural and mechanical detailing has always been the bridge between: Engineering intent Fabrication Construction Accurate detailing is critical because it converts design into buildable outcomes . But when the input data is wrong: Steel doesn’t fit Equipment clashes Shutdowns blow out Costs increase This is where most projects fail—not in design, but in data quality . FARO Scanning Changes the Starting Point F...