Operations¶
Software stack: open source plus AI¶
Decision (3 Oct 2026): no Autodesk licences in year one. Run drafting and modelling on open-source tools, with Python and AI scripting the tedious half. Revisit only when a client with a Revit-only pipeline brings a job large enough to pay for the seat.
| Need | Tool | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register and colourise raw scans | SHARE PointClouds Studio | Bundled with S20 | Confirm with K.K. Geosystem whether perpetual or yearly. No open tool does SLAM registration as well |
| Clean, crop, measure, slice | CloudCompare | Free | Exports E57, LAS, PLY, section DXFs |
| 2D as-builts | QCAD Pro (DWG) or QCAD Community (DXF only) | ₹3,000 one-time for Pro | LibreCAD as fallback. AutoCAD LT would not have worked anyway: it does not load point clouds |
| 3D / BIM | FreeCAD BIM workbench, or Blender with Bonsai add-on | Free | Both export IFC, which Revit, ArchiCAD and SketchUp import |
| Mesh, render, walkthrough | Blender | Free | |
| Client web viewer | Potree, self-hosted | Free | 3DVista (₹40,000 one-time) only if clients demand polish |
| Volume reports | CloudCompare or a short Open3D script | Free | |
| Gaussian splatting | Nerfstudio or OpenSplat | Free | Postshot commercial at about ₹8,000/month if needed |
| Email, shared drive | Google Workspace | about ₹1,500/user/month | |
| Storage | 2-bay NAS (about ₹25,000 one-time) or Google One 2 TB | Scans run 5 to 20 GB each | |
| Invoicing, GST | Zoho Books or Tally | ₹1,000 to ₹2,000/month |
AI-assisted drafting pipeline (to build)¶
Python with Open3D, laspy and ezdxf. Slice the cloud at 1.2 m, project to 2D, line-fit, output raw wall outlines as DXF. Same for openings from elevation slices and room-by-room area reports. Runs offline on the MSI. Cuts drafting time by half to two-thirds; does not remove the draftsperson.
Rule: auto-extracted lines are a draft. A human cleans dimensions, annotations and sheet layout and signs every sheet. Say so in the terms; clients build to our drawings and that is where the liability lives.
Honest limits of the open-source route¶
- DWG is proprietary; DXF opens everywhere. QCAD Pro solves DWG for ₹3,000.
- No native RVT. We deliver IFC. Most architects accept it; large Revit-only firms will not, and they are not year-one clients.
- The pipeline needs an owner who can script around gaps. That is Varun, for the first six months.
- Hiring: freshers list AutoCAD, not FreeCAD or Blender. Expect to train.
Two-week validation before committing¶
Scan our own premises, run it through CloudCompare and a quick slice-to-DXF script, open the result in QCAD and FreeCAD, and judge whether the fresher architect can produce a floor plan we would put our name on.
Open with K.K. Geosystem¶
- Device training: dates, who attends (field operator plus one partner).
- Software support: PointClouds Studio licence terms (perpetual or yearly), updates, and who we call when registration fails.
Scanning SOP (draft, refine after first ten jobs)¶
- Pre-visit: get floor count, approximate area, access and power confirmed; ask client to clear clutter from walls where possible.
- On site: walk slow, steady loops; close every loop back to the start point; cover every room, shaft and staircase; shoot exteriors last.
- Same day: copy raw data to the NAS before leaving the premises; register in PointClouds Studio that evening.
- Processing: clean and crop in CloudCompare; run the slice script; hand DXF drafts to drafting.
- QA: a second person checks dimensions against three to five tape measurements taken on site.
- Delivery: files plus one-page scan report; archive the job folder; add the client to the CRM.