Andover Commercial Park 132kV Substation

The solution

A FARO Focus 3D laser scanner was positioned at a dense network of coordinated locations throughout the compound, reducing shadowing behind equipment and producing a highly detailed point cloud of the substation, with precision total station observations providing survey control. Below ground, ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic locating were combined with visual inspection of chambers and ducts — essential given the exceptional density of buried services. Detected routes were coordinated with the topographic survey, so the client could review above-ground and below-ground infrastructure within a single CAD dataset.

The survey was completed while the substation remained operational: equipment made from non-conductive materials was used wherever required, scanner positions maintained safe working distances, and all works followed the site-specific access arrangements and the instructions of authorised substation personnel.

The outcome

The final outputs — a detailed AutoCAD drawing and a fully registered point cloud in Autodesk RCS format — gave the client a reliable digital record of the substation above and below ground. The dataset improved design certainty for the planned electrical upgrade, reduced the likelihood of design clashes and construction-stage changes, lowered the risk of cable strikes and damage to operational infrastructure, and provides a reusable 3D resource for future design, construction and asset-management activities.