Quantapoint

Quantapoint, Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	3D laser scanning, software, technology services
Founded	1991 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Founder	Eric Hoffman, Pradeep Khosla, Takeo Kanade, others from Carnegie Mellon University
Headquarters	Pittsburgh , United States
Area served	United States, England, Scotland, Nigeria, Mexico, Venezuela, South Africa, Malaysia, Brazil
Products	3D laser scanners (SceneModeler 5 and 9), Digital Facility representations, PRISM 3D software, QuantaCAD, AccessPoint

Quantapoint, Inc. is a firm specializing in advanced technology and services centered on patented 3D laser scanning equipment and software. The company creates Digital Facility representations through 3D laser scanning and delivers services including visualization, analysis, quality assurance, decision-making support, and documentation for various structures such as buildings, museums, refineries, chemical plants, nuclear and fossil-fuel power plants, offshore platforms, along with other industrial facilities.

History

Established in 1991 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania under the name K²T, Inc, Quantapoint was founded by Eric Hoffman, Pradeep Khosla, Takeo Kanade, and other faculty members from Carnegie Mellon University. The original focus of K²T was on creating bespoke robotics and 3D range-finding imaging technologies, including a laser range-finder designed for the DANTE walking robot that participated in a NASA competition exploring Mount Erebus in Antarctica. In 1997, the company developed the SceneModeler, a 360-degree phase-based 3D laser scanner.

In 1999, the organization adopted the name Quantapoint to reflect its dedication to 3D laser scanning devices, software solutions, and related services.

Initially, the company’s operations concentrated on digitizing architectural structures to generate 2D drawings, 3D models, and visual representations primarily for restoration and historic conservation purposes. Notable projects encompassed the Museum of Modern Art, the Theban Mapping Project within the Valley of the Kings, Monticello, and the Guggenheim Museum.

From 2002 onward, Quantapoint broadened its scope to serve chemical processing plants, petroleum facilities, and power generation sectors globally as well as throughout the United States. This expansion included contracts with entities such as the United States General Services Administration (GSA).

Quantapoint holds numerous patents and has earned several accolades recognizing its pioneering developments in 3D laser scanning hardware and software.

3D laser scanner hardware

Quantapoint employs proprietary 3D laser scanners like the SceneModeler 5 and SceneModeler 9 models in addition to utilizing the Photon scanner supplied by Faro Systems. The company maintains a collection exceeding twenty 3D laser scanners to support large-scale facility scanning operations.

Digital facility

The Digital Facility offering from Quantapoint comprises:

• Laser Models: These are comprehensive, high-definition solid models of facilities created by integrating detailed 3D laser scan data. Quantapoint stresses that these are full-featured models rather than mere "point clouds."
• Laser Images: These consist of photo-realistic panoramic views with perspective correction generated from individual 3D scan captures.

3D laser scanning data software

Quantapoint provides software products designed to maximize the utility of its 3D scan data:

• PRISM 3D: A platform for viewing and interacting with both Laser Images and Laser Models.
• CAD Conversion Option for PRISM 3D: Facilitates importing 3D CAD models to enable comparison and clash detection against existing Laser Models.
• QuantaCAD: Integrates Laser Images and Models into prominent 3D CAD environments such as AutoCAD, AutoPlant, AVEVA Review, MicroStation, PDS, PDMS, Revit, SmartMarine 3D, SmartPlant Review, and SmartPlant 3D.
• AccessPoint: A web-based interface that grants access to Laser Images and Models while supporting integration with facility information management systems.

Alliances and Software Development Collaborations

Quantapoint has established key strategic alliances to seamlessly integrate its laser scanning outputs with software solutions from prominent industry players such as Autodesk, AVEVA, Bentley Systems, and Intergraph.

Operational Locations

Quantapoint maintains a presence in the United States with offices in Pittsburgh, Houston, and Los Angeles, as well as operations in England, Scotland, and Nigeria. Additionally, the company engages representatives across various international markets, including Mexico, Venezuela, South Africa, Malaysia, and Brazil.

Intellectual Property

The company owns several U.S. patents and has pursued equivalent patent protections in the European Union, Canada, and Japan. These patents encompass fundamental technologies related to 3D laser scanning and associated data processing techniques:

• Full 360-degree 3D Laser Scanning: 6,034,803; 6,373,612; 6,906,837; 7,365,891
• Registration of 3D Laser Scans: 7,180,072
• Generating Layouts from 3D Laser Scan Data: 6,446,030; 7,127,378