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The Bottom Line: Work Backward from the Deliverables to the Device and Workflow
For simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) workflows, start by defining what must be delivered, who will review it, and which reference will be used for acceptance. SHARE SLAM S20, SHARE SLAM S20 SE, SHARE SLAM S100, and the separate SHARE3DCAM C10 Series can be used with SHARE PointClouds Studio, but model selection must be confirmed with representative field testing.
The software can generate section or architectural floor-plan candidates and provides vector drawing, editing, annotation, and drawing-generation tools. Its computer-aided design (CAD) drawing export simultaneously generates drawing exchange format (DXF) and DWG files and includes both in the exported ZIP package. Complex structures, occlusions, layers, and annotations still require professional manual review. RVT, IFC, and complete building information modeling (BIM) models remain downstream professional outputs.
Figure 1: All eight purchasing questions point to a real project test conducted at the same site and against the same acceptance criteria.
8 Decision Questions to Answer Before Purchasing
| Decision question | What the answer must specify | Impact on the solution |
|---|---|---|
| Final deliverables | Point cloud, floor plan, elevation, section, DXF/DWG package, or downstream BIM | Determines office-processing steps and responsibility boundaries |
| Site scope | Indoor, outdoor, or continuous indoor-outdoor; area, floors, and occlusions | Determines candidate models and acquisition routes |
| Acceptance method | Critical dimensions, tolerances, coordinate system, acceptance personnel, and reference tools | Determines the design of control points and check points |
| Multi-session data | Whether acquisition will use multiple sessions or devices | Determines whether manual corresponding-point registration is required |
| Coordinate requirements | Relative, engineering, or absolute coordinates | Determines the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), control-point, or coordinate-transformation workflow |
| Use of imagery | Colorization, photo review, panorama, or photorealistic viewing | Determines image-quality and three-dimensional Gaussian splatting (3DGS) validation items; SHARE PointClouds Studio V2.6 panoramic stitching supports SHARE SLAM S100-32 PRO and SHARE C10-32 PRO for field-image review and browsing |
| Team capabilities | Who handles acquisition, processing, CAD editing, and review | Determines training, rental, or delivery-service scope |
| Total cost | Devices, workstations, training, labor, rework, storage, and support | Determines whether to buy, trial, or rent |
Tie each answer to a measurable requirement, file, or accountable person rather than vague terms such as “standard accuracy.## A Verifiable Scan-to-CAD Workflow
- Copy the complete raw data while preserving its directory structure and filenames, create a project, and complete point-cloud reconstruction.
- If separate point clouds are not aligned, select a reference and moving cloud, manually pick well-distributed corresponding fixed-feature points, preview overlap and error, and save a new registered file without overwriting the source.
- When engineering coordinates are required, match at least three valid control points or enter independently confirmed transformation parameters, preview the result, and save a new converted file.
- Use separate independent check points for three-dimensional and elevation checks; do not reuse the transformation control points as the sole acceptance evidence.
- In
Section Extraction, set the direction and required width. Choose eitherBatch Cutting, withNumber of SectionsandBatch Interval, orCustom Interval, with custom positions; preview before extraction. - Complete manual drawing, correction, annotation, and review. Export the CAD ZIP package, which contains both DXF and DWG files, and reopen the files in the target CAD environment to check dimensions, missing lines, layers, text, units, and compatibility.
Point-cloud merging combines data that already share a spatial relationship; it does not replace registration.
How Models Enter the Candidate List
- SHARE SLAM S20 and SHARE SLAM S20 SE: Evaluate with representative indoor, renovation-measurement, and as-built verification samples.
- SHARE SLAM S100: Evaluate for larger or more complex projects using the actual site, route, coordinate requirements, and acceptance criteria.
- SHARE3DCAM C10 Series: Validate current-version compatibility and the complete acquisition-to-delivery workflow without implying a relationship to SHARE SLAM S100.
Do not rank models solely by names or isolated specifications. Compare candidates at the same site against the same acceptance criteria.
What to Evaluate in a Demonstration
Run the complete workflow on a real sample. Check coverage, manual corresponding-point selection, control-point distribution, independent three-dimensional and elevation results, section extraction, and the effort needed to review DXF and DWG files.
If image review is required, validate linked navigation among the floor plan, trajectory, photo locations, photos, and three-dimensional viewport. 3DGS supports photorealistic viewing rather than measurement acceptance. Panorama stitching is available only for SHARE SLAM S100-32 PRO and SHARE C10-32 PRO and is not a measurement deliverable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a SHARE SLAM scan be delivered directly as CAD or BIM? SHARE PointClouds Studio exports a ZIP package containing both DXF and DWG files after CAD-assisted drafting. Those files still require manual review. RVT, IFC, and complete BIM models are created in downstream professional workflows.
Q: How are data from multiple scans aligned? Manually select corresponding points, preview overlap and error, save a separate registered result, and validate it independently. A simple merge does not perform alignment.
Q: Can a point cloud without real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning be transformed into engineering coordinates? It can be evaluated using valid control points or independently confirmed transformation parameters, followed by verification with separate check points.
Q: Can 3DGS serve as the acceptance basis for measurements and CAD? No. Use the point cloud and independent check records for dimensions, accuracy, and drafting.
Q: Which model is right for my project? Define the site, area, coordinate and imagery requirements, delivery formats, and acceptance criteria, then test candidate models on representative data.
