Fabrication and Manufacturing Applications with Photogrammetry

  • Do you manufacture a fitted or custom product?
  • Do you use CAD and perhaps CNC to cut and fabricate these products?
  • Do you want to use a camera for an easier and more cost-effective way of measuring?

PhotoModeler can help you!

John Bland of Tecsew Custom fitting, retrofits, and remodeling often require measurements and drawings of a remote location or a client site so that a part can be manufactured or fabricated to fit. Photogrammetry creates measurements and diagrams using a normal camera. Instead of having a complex and expensive device for field measurements for your retrofit or remodeling business, you only need a camera and a tape measure.

In addition, you might use templates in paper, plastic, or cardboard that need to be digitized for use in CAD/CNC. PhotoModeler can help you do this as well with a camera!

Benefits and Advantages

Compared to most other accurate field measurement technologies, photogrammetry (or camera-based measurement) has these major advantages:

  • Little to no specialized equipment
  • Lower cost
  • Faster in-field measurement

Example Applications

Some example applications for measurement in manufacturing are:

These applications have the need to obtain accurate measurements at a remote job site and return those measurements to the factory for further CAD work and then manufacturing the objects and parts.

Applications in Manufacturing Retrofits

There are several applications of photogrammetric measurement in retrofit work. Three of the most common ones involve stairs (for lifts and railings), kitchen refit, and boat templating. The following sections show examples of each.

Stairs

There are two main applications in measuring staircases in homes and offices. The first is the retrofit of stair lifts, and the second is measuring for more complex banister/railing installation (curved staircases).

Curved staircase modeling with Coded Targets

 

Typical complex stairlift install (courtesy Harmar)

Marine Fabrication

There are several applications of measurement and modeling needed with yacht and pleasure craft retrofit. Examples are the manufacture of full or partial boat covers, biminis, windscreens, complex decking,  dash and console replacement, and upholstery.


Windscreen installed after templating

There are a number of useful resources to learn more about the use of PhotoModeler in boat canvas and part creation:

IFAI Member

Kitchen / Bathroom

Kitchen and bathroom remodels, or new construction requires accurate measurements of walls shape, dimensions, and placement of existing cabinetry and outlets for complex cabinet and counter-top installs.

Kitchen measurement for countertop manufacture