|
Questions:
-
What is
PLANSurveyorTM?
-
Who is using
PLANSurveyorTM?
-
How does
PLANSurveyorTM
handle my layering and block standards?
-
I had my hard copy drawings converted to CAD several years
ago, can they be updated to reflect “as-is” conditions?
-
You mention
auto-close as a key, exclusive feature of the system. What
does it really do for me?
-
How does
PLANSurveyorTM
create arced and angled walls?
-
Can the Leica DISTOTM Laser
Distance Meter and Fujitsu Stylistic® Tablet PC
have a direct interface to eliminate manual input of the
dimensional data?
-
Concerning the topic of dimensions, what is the unit of
measurement used by
PLANSurveyorTM,
and to what level of precision are the units recorded?
-
Why can’t I use AutoCAD® on a Tablet PC?
-
I do building
surveys only 20% of the time, can a Tablet PC be used for
other applications?
-
Often our projects
are remote from the main office; how can the work be
transmitted back to our headquarters?
-
Can I operate
PLANSurveyorTM
on my existing notebook computer?
-
We prefer to work
individually, is this possible with your system?
-
Can I do similar
work with PocketCAD® or another application on a
Palm® or PocketPC® (Windows Mobile®)
device?
-
If
PLANSurveyorTM
software is so easy to use, why is a two day workshop
recommended?
-
The system sounds
great, but do you have quantitative data to support the
increased productivity gains or payback period?
-
All right, I’m
sold! I will send you a purchase order as soon as I sell (or
have) a project large enough to offset the acquisition cost of
the system; doesn’t that seem feasible?
-
Ok, I am convinced this system will
increase production, save time, and improve profitability. I
am ready to make the investment; do I need to call a laser
distance meter and Tablet PC manufacturer/reseller and
IQT?
Answers:
What is
PLANSurveyorTM?
PLANSurveyorTM…..the
ultimate building survey solution developed by
IQT,
is designed to allow a surveyor to methodically and
systematically traverse rooms within a building, precisely
capturing all unique building elements in the process.
This rigorous, self-checking surveying methodology assists
surveyors in producing graphical field data that is accurate,
consistent, and thorough. Also, because
PLANSurveyorTM
was developed by building surveyors for the sole purpose of
"as-is" in-field floor plan creation, it has the distinction of
being the most technologically advanced and feature rich program
of its kind.
For over fifteen years, we have made it our
mission to engineer the survey process and methodology in an
effort to maximize efficiency, increase accuracy, and minimize
costs. Using state-of-the-art laser distance meters, Tablet
PC's and PLANSurveyorTM,
coupled with our time-tested methodologies, we have increased
the accuracy while reducing the survey time, in addition to
eliminating costly and disruptive return visits to the field.
This unique and innovative approach, consisting of hardware,
software and knowledge, is what we refer to as the
"IQT Survey System"TM.
Because of
PLANSurveyorTM
ease of use and intuitive user interface, this technology has
been embraced and employed by some of America's leading higher
education institutions, medical centers, pharmaceutical
companies, municipalities and architectural firms as their tool
of choice for accurate "as-is" architectural floor plan
documentation.
Top
Who is using
PLANSurveyorTM?
Our list of satisfied clients is comprised of
a wide array of industries and market segments. To date, we
boast users in the following arenas: healthcare, educational,
municipal, commercial, industrial, architectural, engineering,
interior design, facilities services, and building survey firms.
Top
How does
PLANSurveyorTM
handle my layering and block standards?
In order to use a specific layering scheme or
custom blocks, one would simply import a [DWG® or DXF®
file format] drawing containing these layers and blocks.
PLANSurveyorTM
will now make those symbols and objects (blocks) available and
will maintain all the custom layers.
Top
I had my hard copy drawings
converted to CAD several years ago, can they be updated to
reflect “as-is” conditions?
Yes, many of our clients have
used PLANSurveyorTM
just for verifying and editing existing CAD drawings. CAD
drawings [residing in either DWG®
or DXF® file
formats] can be imported into
PLANSurveyorTM
for editing purposes and exported back into the CAD system of
choice.
Top
You mention auto-close as
a key, exclusive feature of the system. What does it really do
for me?
When the starting point and the endpoint of a
room or space are within established tolerances,
PLANSurveyorTM
will “Auto-Close” the room. It adjusts one or two dimensions in
order for the start point and end point to be the same exact
point. This eliminates the need to “fillet or trim” the
intersections in your CAD system.
Top
How does
PLANSurveyorTM
create arced and angled walls?
PLANSurveyorTM
employs the geometric technique of triangulation, which is
commonly used in civil engineering and land surveying, to
calculate angles.
PLANSurveyorTM
prompts the operator through
the process graphically, so there is no need to be a
trigonometry expert.
Top
Can the Leica DISTOTM
Laser Distance Meter and Fujitsu Stylistic® Tablet PC
have a direct interface to eliminate manual input of the
dimensional data?
Yes, Bluetooth® wireless data
transmission technology is available on specific Leica DISTOTM
Laser Distance Meters and Fujitsu Stylistic® Tablet
PC models. However, please note that experience shows that
between 25% - 40% of all field captured dimensions are still
obtained from the steel tape measure. This includes all
measurements less than 8”, which is too close to be measured by
the laser distance meter, as well as some dimensions which are
not conducive to easily being measured with the laser distance
meter (i.e.: wall thicknesses).
Top
Concerning the topic of
dimensions, what is the unit of measurement used by
PLANSurveyorTM,
and to what level of precision are the units recorded?
PLANSurveyorTM,
since its inception, has always maintained dual compatibility
with both the U.S. Customary [Imperial] and SI [Metric] system
of measurements. When employing the U.S. Customary system of
measurement, it is only natural to input and display the
measurements in architectural format [foot – inch – fraction of
an inch]. Throughout its development,
PLANSurveyorTM
has always emulated the output displayed on the most popular
model of the Leica DISTOTM
Laser Distance Meter. The latest release of
PLANSurveyorTM
allows the user to input to a precision of 1/16th of an inch,
and allows for the input of fractional inch denominators [ /2,
/4, /8, /16], exactly as it is displayed on the latest line of
Leica DISTOTM Laser Distance
Meters. By recording each measurement in architectural format
[foot – inch – fraction of an inch]
PLANSurveyorTM
maintains the dimensional integrity of each drawing. This
dimensional integrity may be architecturally compromised if the
input were to be recorded at another level of precision or units
[i.e.: decimal feet]. When your survey requires measurements
which employ the SI system of measurement, then the choice is
simple as
PLANSurveyorTM
accepts input and records precision to the millimeter.
Top
Why can’t I use AutoCAD®
on a Tablet PC?
Using AutoCAD® on a Tablet PC is a
distant second choice for creating as-built floor plans.
PLANSurveyorTM
is the de-facto standard in software designed specifically for
creating “as-is” building documentation. Because it focuses on
creating and editing as-built drawings, it minimizes the
clicks/keystrokes required to accurately document any given
space. In addition, AutoCAD® was not designed as a
pen-enabled application (as evident through the extensive use of
its command line interface) so it does not optimize the use of
the hardware.
Top
I do building surveys
only 20% of the time, can a Tablet PC be used for other
applications?
Yes, these Tablet PC’s are equipped with a
superset of the industry standard Microsoft Windows®
XP Professional operating system and powerful Intel Celeron®
and Pentium® class processors with plenty of memory
to run applications such as Microsoft Office®,
AutoCAD®, and CAFM software packages.
Top
Often our projects are
remote from the main office; how can the work be transmitted
back to our headquarters?
Most Tablet PC’s are equipped with both
internal modems and LAN/WLAN connections. The files created by
PLANSurveyorTM
are extremely compact, minimizing transmission time of the
electronic files.
Top
Can I operate
PLANSurveyorTM
on my existing notebook computer?
Yes,
PLANSurveyorTM
can operate on a desktop, notebook, or Tablet PC. Using
PLANSurveyorTM
on a notebook can be a good option, if you have:
-
a notebook computer already
-
no hardware budget
-
empty buildings to survey
-
minimal exterior survey work
-
single level buildings
However, the
PLANSurveyorTM
software has been optimized specifically as a pen-enabled
application, therefore the most efficient operation is using it
on a Tablet PC.
Top
We prefer to work
individually, is this possible with your system?
Yes, given the fact that the
"IQT Survey System"TM
is a compact mobile solution easily operated by just one person,
many of our clients choose to work individually rather than in
two person teams. At
IQT,
we have found that two person teams produce at a rate of 240%
compared to that of an individual. Therefore, in most cases a
team of two is the most productive arrangement. However,
available human resources, travel time, and the overall size of
a project are the three factors that will ultimately determine
if a one or two person team is most efficient and feasible.
Top
Can I do similar work
with PocketCAD® or another application on a Palm®
or PocketPC® (Windows Mobile®) device?
Again,
PLANSurveyorTM
is the de-facto standard in software designed specifically for
creating as-built floor plans. To use any other software for
creating as-built floor plans will be a compromise. Palm®
and PocketPC® computing devices do not have adequate
screen displays for working with drawings. We have tested
smaller screen displays, but we have found that floor plans
displayed on a PDA sized screen are not practical for working
with building drawings.
Top
If
PLANSurveyorTM
software is so easy to use, why is a two day workshop
recommended?
Simply put, Knowledge Transfer!
We begin each training session with the
statement that “PLANSurveyorTM
is the easiest program a user will ever learn next to Windows
Solitaire®!” As a testament to that claim, we are
confident that every user trained to date would agree. However,
our workshops are not limited to software training alone. You
see, PLANSurveyorTM
is just one component (albeit the most important) of the
"IQT Survey System"TM,
a system that consists of software, hardware, and methodology.
It is this methodology, which has evolved and has been developed
for over fifteen years in harmony with
PLANSurveyorTM,
that is succinctly and summarily presented and our “Knowledge
Transferred.” So, whether you are a seasoned and experienced
surveyor (or Architect), or a novice ready to embark on a new
vocation, our two day workshop is all that you will need to
maximize your return on investment and be producing at peak
productivity immediately and confidently!
Top
The system sounds great,
but do you have quantitative data to support the increased
productivity gains or payback period?
View our "Why So Fast?"
document to compare different surveying methodologies and
approaches. You will then understand why the
"IQT Survey System"TM
is so much faster than any other system.
Top
All right, I’m sold! I
will send you a purchase order as soon as I sell (or have) a
project large enough to offset the acquisition cost of the
system; doesn’t that seem feasible?
On the surface, yes; but consider the
following. The purchase price of the
"IQT Survey System"TM
has an average simple payback of just over 100,000 g.s.f. of
as-built floor plan documentation. If you are serious about
producing as-built floor plan documentation, then the system may
be bought and paid for with smaller jobs long before you “land
the big one.” Next, by investing in the system now, you will be
in an enviable position that will allow you to produce a more
favorable bid than your competition, thereby being awarded more
and larger projects as a result of ownership of the most
accurate and cost effective solution of its kind. Further, due
to hardware delivery lead times and scheduled training
availability, you may not be in a position to realize the
system's payback when that big project is awarded and needs to
commence immediately. Finally, as a licensed user of
PLANSurveyorTM
and the "IQT
Survey System"TM,
you are in a unique position to tap into our growing user base
(or be engaged as a subcontractor) thereby allowing you to
consider projects larger than you ever imagined you could
handle. Unlike conventional approaches, on the onset you
can be confident that a fellow user will produce as-built floor
plan documentation in an accurate, timely, and standardized
format [see
PLANSurveyor'dTM],
the hallmark of
PLANSurveyorTM
and the "IQT
Survey System"TM.
Top
Ok, I am convinced this
system will increase production, save time, and improve
profitability. I am ready to make the investment; do I need to
call a laser distance meter and Tablet PC manufacturer/reseller
and IQT?
No, one call to
IQT
is all you need to make. We are value-added resellers of all
the hardware. We can provide you with the complete system, or
any of the individual components. After a brief discussion we
will have the necessary information to produce a custom proposal
to meet your organization’s needs.
Top |
