3D Scanning On Site: Handheld Laser vs Tracked vs LiDAR
Quick verdict: on site the deciding question is not which scanner is most accurate — it is which one works where the object is. Measuring a part that cannot move: handheld laser. Documenting a plant or a building: LiDAR. Repeated measurement of a large assembly: a tracked system.
Why on-site work is a different problem
In a measuring room the part comes to the machine, the temperature is controlled and the light is yours. On site the object stays where it is: a machine tool on its foundation, a mould in a press, a vehicle in a bay, a pipe run 6 m up. Access, daylight, vibration and power all become part of the measurement decision, and the answer is usually a portable machine rather than a more accurate one.
The three options
| Method |
Documented performance |
Suited to |
Limits |
| Handheld laser metrology scanner — FreeScan Combo+ Wireless, UE Pro2 |
0.02 mm accuracy, volumetric 0.02 + 0.03 mm/m (0.02 + 0.015 with VPG); wireless with up to 2 hours on battery |
Parts that cannot be moved: machine frames, tools, moulds, vehicle components |
You still need optical access to the surface |
| Tracked system — Trak Pro2, Trak ProW |
0.023 mm accuracy; 9.6 m³ (Pro2) or up to 8.6 m tracking distance and 206.7 m³ (ProW); marker-free |
Large assemblies measured repeatedly, where the frame must hold as you move |
More equipment to transport and set up than a handheld |
| Handheld LiDAR — SHARE SLAM S20, S100 series |
1 cm point cloud, 200,000 points/s, 1079 g, ~150 min (S20); up to 640,000 points/s and RTK/PPK georeferencing with 0.5–300 m range (S100 series) |
Buildings, plant rooms, ship interiors, sites — documentation rather than measurement |
Centimetre accuracy: no dimensional tolerance belongs on its output |
Documenting a place rather than measuring a part
It is worth keeping the two jobs apart. LiDAR produces a colourised point cloud of a space, and on the S100 series it can be georeferenced with RTK or PPK for survey-grade mapping. That output is genuinely useful for layout changes, as-built records, clash checks and asset documentation — and it is not a dimensional inspection of anything. Nobody should be signing a tolerance off a centimetre-level cloud.
Practicalities that decide the job
Power: the wireless machines run on batteries, which matters when the nearest socket is a long way from the asset. Light: laser scanning copes with daylight better than white-light structured light, which is one reason metrology handhelds suit outdoor and shop-floor work. Access: the tracker needs a line of sight to the part, so the setup, not the scanner, is usually what takes the time. Temperature and vibration affect any measurement taken in a working plant — we will say so when a job needs a controlled environment instead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a handheld laser and LiDAR on site?
They answer different questions. A handheld laser scanner measures a part to a tolerance — 0.02 mm class on the metrology handhelds. LiDAR documents a space: a colourised point cloud of a building, plant or ship at centimetre level, where the question is what is where, not how close it is to a drawing.
Can I scan a machine without dismantling it?
That is the point of working on site. Handheld metrology scanners reach into machine frames, under vehicles and along pipe runs, and the tracked systems hold the coordinate frame while you move around a large assembly. Nothing has to be brought to a measuring room.
How large an object can be covered on site?
The FreeScan Trak ProW tracks up to 8.6 m away with a 206.7 m³ working volume, holding volumetric accuracy from 0.046 mm at 15.6 m³ to 0.127 mm at 128 m³. SHARE SLAM LiDAR has no practical object limit — you walk the site.
Do I need power on site?
Not for the wireless machines. The FreeScan Combo+ Wireless runs up to two hours on battery with a rapid-charging dock, and the SHARE SLAM S20 up to 150 minutes. The tracked systems also run on portable batteries with wired mode available where a cable suits.
What do I actually receive from a LiDAR scan?
A colourised point cloud of the space, georeferenced where RTK is used on the SHARE SLAM S100 series. It is documentation you can measure distances from and model against — deliberately not a substitute for dimensional inspection of a part.
Related reading
Next step
We demonstrate in Kuala Lumpur and on customer sites across Malaysia, and we will scan your own part so you can judge the result before deciding. Book a demonstration or send us a part to scan.
Looking for the right solution for your application? Our team is here to help. Talk to our 3D solution specialist today.
