A step-by-step guide for incorporating 3D scan data into your Dusty Robotics layout workflow to ensure your design matches real-world, as-built conditions.

1.  Scan the Existing Space

Perform a 3D scan of the job site using a laser scanner (such as a Leica, Matterport, or similar device) to capture the as-built conditions of the space — walls, columns, MEP elements, and any other existing features.

2.  Process the Scan into a Point Cloud

Import the raw scan data into your processing software and clean it up. This includes removing noise, aligning multiple scans if needed, and registering the data to the project coordinate system.

3.  Take a Horizontal Slice at Floor Elevation

Clip the point cloud at the working floor height to create a 2D representation of the existing conditions. This gives you a flat “map” of what’s actually in the space at the level where layout will be printed.

4.  Overlay with Your BIM / Revit Model in AutoCAD

Import the point cloud slice and your design model into the same AutoCAD file so they are layered on top of each other. This lets you visually compare the design intent against what actually exists on site.

5.  Identify and Resolve Clashes

Compare the design against the as-built conditions. Flag anything that doesn’t line up — shifted walls, columns in the wrong spot, unexpected MEP runs — and work with the design team to make approved adjustments to the model.

6.  Create Control Points from the Point Cloud

• Pull offsets from known features in the point cloud — corners, wall intersections, columns — the same way you would on the physical job site.
• Treat the point cloud as the real world. If corner bead is bumped out or drywall isn’t perfectly flat, don’t straighten it in CAD — embrace the imperfection.
• Place your straight edge or offset reference the same way a field surveyor would — a straight edge won’t always sit perfectly flush against a finished wall, and that’s OK.
• The goal is to match reality, not an idealized version of it.
• Once set in CAD, these same control points can be physically located and shot on the job site, tying the digital layout to the real space.

7.  Prep the Corrected Layout for Dusty

Once the model is updated, export the layout file using the Dusty AutoCAD plugin and upload it to the Dusty Portal. This follows the same standard Dusty file prep workflow you’re already familiar with.

8.  Print with Confidence

The robot prints a layout that accounts for real-world conditions, reducing rework and field conflicts. This approach is especially valuable on tenant improvement, retrofit, and renovation projects where existing conditions often differ from the original design.

Pro Tip: Using a point cloud doesn’t change the standard Dusty workflow — it adds a verification layer before file prep to catch discrepancies between the design and the real world. The earlier you scan, the fewer surprises in the field. It also offers a unique and reliable way to create control points without the need for a surveyor, as long as you already own the 3D scanning technology. When done correctly, point-cloud-derived control points are accurate and repeatable, giving your team a self-sufficient path to getting the robot aligned and printing.