PolyWorks is a powerful point cloud software solution optimized to handle large data sets obtained from any short-range, mid-range, or long-range scanner. Its point cloud alignment, measurement, and extraction capabilities are tailored to the needs of surveyors in the field of civil engineering for diverse applications, such as: • Bridge Infrastructure Inventories • Bridge Height Clearance Measurements • Street Intersection Surveys • Inventories of Railway Crossings Digitizing bridges and highways The multiple scans obtained from the 3D scanner are loaded into PolyWorks. The various scans are aligned in the same coordinate system using the geometrical shape of the scene, with no need for field targets. However, markers can be used in the scene to validate the alignment results. • PolyWorks geo-references the point cloud by adjusting its coordinates using a minimum of three known points in the real-world coordinate system (obtained using GPS, Total Station, etc). • PolyWorks can also geo-reference the point cloud using a minimum of three known scanner positions.   In this example, the bridge is geo-referenced by matching three target points with three known real-world coordinates Various measurements can be taken directly on point clouds or on polygonal models, such as: • Distances (horizontal, vertical, slope) • Angles (bearing, azimuth) • Radii • Volumes   For bridge inventory purposes, a surveyor can quickly obtain the height/clearance of a bridge on site or later in his office Bearing (N86.2018W) Horizontal clearance can also be easily obtained PolyWorks offers automatic and interactive tools to extract valuable features directly on the point cloud, such as: Feature lines, such as edges of pavement and traffic lines, are extracted based on color or intensity Step edges, such as curbs and gutters, are extracted directly on point clouds Other features which can be extracted: • Sharp edges • Footprints, contours • Electrical cables • Geometrical primitives (cylinders, planes, vectors, etc.) Terrain profiles (vertical cross-sections)   NB: If needed, all features can also be directly extracted on polygonal models. Export of Extracted Features • All features extracted in PolyWorks can be exported to DXF and IGES • Extracted features can also be directly imported into MicroStation V7 and V8 • User-defined Feature Codes and Layer Names can be used in the export process • PolyWorks also generates reports in Excel, Word, and HTML Feature Code Window • Surveyors can visualize colored point clouds and colored polygonal models of scanned objects, and make them available for inventory databases and public libraries. • Surveyors can easily create 3D animated videos (in AVI), or directly visualize their polygonal models with PolyWorks’ free viewer.