Leica Cyclone 7.3 Software Supports New Field Scanning & QA Capabilities of Leica ScanStation C10 & C5, Adds 64-bit, and More

(Norcross, 3 October 2011) New Leica Cyclone v7.3 software provides benefits in two important areas for High-Definition Surveying™ projects. First, it lets users take full advantage in the office of enhanced laser scanner control and field QA features simultaneously announced as firmware v2.6 for ScanStation C10 and C5 scanners. Second, it helps users process large laser scan data sets into deliverables more efficiently in the office – including 64-bit support.

Companion Office Software for New ScanStation C10 & C5 Field Scanning & QA Capabilities
Leica Cyclone 7.3 enables users of the popular, self-contained ScanStation C10 laser scanner and recently announced ScanStation C5 to take advantage of several new capabilities being simultaneously announced for these scanners via v2.6 firmware (see separate press release). The new scanner firmware gives users valuable onboard and handheld workflow options and professional field QA tools that had previously only been available when controlling these scanners using a laptop with Leica Cyclone-SCAN software. For example, 3D resections, registration reports, and field QA statistics now calculated onboard the scanner can be directly imported into Cyclone office software.

More Efficient Processing of Large Laser Scan Data Sets
Two new features in Leica Cyclone 7.3 let users process large scan data sets into final as-built and topographic deliverables more efficiently. One is 64-bit computing support. As Cyclone’s first implementation of 64-bit capabilities, Cyclone 7.3 eliminates the annoying problem of running out of computer memory when working with very large laser scan data sets – an increasingly common problem, as laser scanners are becoming faster and thus facilitate more dense scanning.

Two basic tasks are involved in executing projects within Cyclone: (1) importing scan & project data, and (2) working with it to create client deliverables. Data formats can impact the efficiency of executing each of these two, separate tasks. In Cyclone 7.0, a new data format was introduced that enabled faster import; this fast import format complemented Cyclone’s fast working format for “unified” data sets, i.e. where all scans have been registered together into a single data set and redundant/overlapping points eliminated. Cyclone 7.3 provides users with a valuable new “Enhanced Working Format” option for efficient processing into deliverables. The new option lets users quickly convert imported scan data into a fast working format for each individual scan without having to unify all scans together; unification, while beneficial, can also be time-consuming and requires  users to work with a single, large data set. Now users have three (3) convenient data format options for working with scan data. Depending on the nature and size of the project, users can work with the import data format, the efficient unified data format, or the efficient Enhanced Working Format for individual scans.

Availability
Cyclone v7.3 software is available for download for all customers with valid maintenance contracts as of 3 October 2011.

Leica Geosystems – when it has to be right
With close to 200 years of experience pioneering solutions to measure the world, Leica Geosystems products and services are trusted by professionals worldwide to help them capture, analyze, and present spatial information. Leica Geosystems is best known for its broad array of products that capture accurately, model quickly, analyze easily, and visualize and present spatial information. Those who use Leica Geosystems products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the superior customer support. Based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Leica Geosystems is a global company with tens of thousands of customers supported by more than 3,500 employees in 28 countries and hundreds of partners located in more than 120 countries around the world. Leica Geosystems is part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden.