Scan Obstructed and Complex Objects - NavVis VLX

Introduction

Use this guide when a site includes a large machine, such as production equipment, a rack, or a line segment, that must appear sharp, correctly positioned, and complete in the deliverable. You'll need a planned two-pass orbit and the surrounding structural features in view. By the end, you'll have captured the machine with crisp geometry, multi-angle coverage, and readable panoramas.

What Good Capture Looks Like

A well-captured machine scan has the following characteristics:

• Geometry accuracy (SLAM quality): Edges and small offsets appear crisp without double edges, bending, or visible drift.

• Completeness: Important faces (including the rear where required) and connection points to floors/walls/adjacent assets are captured with coverage from multiple angles.

• Useful panoramas: Key labels and controls are readable, and the machine is colorized consistently from more than one side.

Best Practices

1. Start with the general area, then move in

Scan the surrounding room or aisle first. This gives the NavVis VLX structural context before you move in close to the machine.

The SLAM stays more stable when the fixed reference points are visible to the device, such as corners, wall intersections, door frames, columns, beams, ceiling grid lines, and strong floor markings.

2. Keep motion smooth

When scanning with NavVis VLX, the capture motion is driven by your body movement. To keep SLAM and panoramas stable:

• Walk at a slow, steady pace

• Avoid sharp pivots and fast torso twists

• Slow down before you reach the machine instead of stopping suddenly.

3. Walk around the device twice

First Loop - Walk a wide path:

Walk a wide path around the machine. Use as much space as you have.

Second Loop - Move closer than the previous loop:

• Walk around the machine again, but this time stay closer to it.

• Slow down when you pass cables, control boxes, or connection points.

• Take a small step to the side so the scanner can see the edges from a different angle.

4. Scanning obstructed sides

If one side is blocked by a wall, guarding, or adjacent equipment:

• Add a targeted detour that exposes the scanner to the missing face.

• Use diagonal approaches where possible. They often reveal more than parallel passes.

If the rear matters, plan at least one route segment that exposes it. Even partial coverage is better than none.

Capturing Panoramas

• Capture panoramas in the areas of the machine that people will need to view later (for example, operation, maintenance, safety, or asset identification):

  • Control panels and operator stations.

  • ID plates, serial numbers, warning labels.

  • Connection points and interfaces.

• For readable text/numbers:

  • Stand still during capture. Avoid any body movement around the moment of capture.

  • If a label is partially obstructed, capture an additional panorama from a second angle.

  • Use Manual capture mode when capturing large machines.

• For colorization:

  • Capture panoramas on multiple sides of the machine, not just from one side.

  • If access is limited on one side, add at least one panorama from the best available angle toward that side.

On-site validation (before leaving the scan area)

• Quality map

  • Check the quality map on the device UI. Aim for solid, bright blue coverage around the machine and the scan areas.

• Multi-angle coverage

  • Check that each important side of the machine was scanned from at least two different angles, especially any side that was blocked earlier.

• Panorama spot-check

  • Open a few panoramas that show the machine. Make sure that there is sufficient panorama coverage, and that the machine is visible from more than one side.