Tankcalibration, behind the scenes

From Point Cloud to a Reliable 3D Model

In tank calibration, reliability is essential. In practice, however, drawings rarely represent reality exactly. Vessels are never built perfectly according to design, and deviations and deformations already occur during the construction process. The only correct basis for an accurate calibration is therefore the as-built condition of the tank.

To capture this as-built situation, we use 3D scanners. This is done both because of the high accuracy and level of detail with which the tank geometry is recorded, and because for large or difficult-to-access tanks it is not possible to measure the complete tank shape manually.

The resulting point cloud does not directly form the volume table. Converting measurement data into a reliable 3D model is a careful and specialist process. The raw scan contains millions of measurement points that are first analysed, filtered, and interpreted. Based on this data, we build an accurate 3D model that precisely represents the actual tank geometry.

The entire process – from measurement to final result – is fully traceable and verifiable. This allows for a direct and accurate comparison between the 3D model and the actual tank shape. This approach results in highly accurate capacity tables that meet the highest standards of reliability and reproducibility.

Click the video below to get an impression of the modelling process from point cloud to 3D model.