Direct Answer
Why We Use FARO for AEC and Industrial Reality Capture
We use FARO because the Focus family gives us practical 100, 200 and 400-meter choices, traditional and compatible Flash capture options, and a consistent path into SCENE for interactive, target, cloud-to-cloud and hybrid registration. The platform also supports offline processing and common AEC exports. The larger reason is competence: our FARO-certified technicians and Authorized Instructor apply that ecosystem within a documented planning, registration, QA and delivery process.
One platform across varied project scales
Current Focus Core, Premium and Premium Max models publish ranges of 100, 200 and 400 meters. That does not mean every project should use the longest-range model. It gives us a consistent platform from interiors and MEP rooms through building exteriors, industrial sites and larger structures while selecting stand-off capability around the actual conditions.
The models share published capture rates up to two million points per second and a common 3D accuracy specification under FARO's stated conditions. Field settings still depend on range, reflectivity, critical feature size, color and the time available at each station.
Traditional scans and Flash provide two useful capture modes
A traditional terrestrial scan remains appropriate when the project needs a selected resolution and detailed laser data. FARO's Hybrid Reality Capture powered by Flash Technology combines compatible panoramic imagery with terrestrial scan information to reduce field time in suitable workflows. FARO describes fully colorized Flash capture in under thirty seconds with the required configuration.
Faster is not automatically better. We choose the mode around the surface detail, range, color, site movement and downstream use. A fast station that misses the needed surface or does not support the acceptance plan provides no productivity benefit.
SCENE makes the registration network reviewable
SCENE supports automatic target recognition, target-based and cloud-to-cloud registration, survey control and hybrid combinations. Interactive Registration exposes how scans connect, which is valuable on medium and large projects where an operator must find weak links, isolated zones or an incorrect automatic relationship.
FARO's reporting tools expose scan positions, correspondences, point distance and tension information. Those diagnostics let us document decisions and investigate local problems instead of treating registration as an opaque automated step.
Offline processing remains available
FARO supports connected Stream and Sphere XG workflows, but it also states that Focus data can be processed offline in SCENE. That matters for controlled facilities, sensitive projects, unreliable connectivity and customers who require local data handling.
Cloud collaboration can still be selected when it benefits stakeholders. The storage and sharing approach should follow the customer's security, access and retention requirements rather than a mandatory platform assumption.
The data can move into established AEC tools
SCENE supports multiple exports, including Autodesk RCP/RCS documented in its technical material. Autodesk ReCap also imports FARO FLS, FWS and LSPROJ data along with E57. This gives us options for preserving native project context and preparing tested files for AutoCAD, Revit and other downstream workflows.
Interoperability still requires coordinate and version checks. We verify a known point and the intended origin after export instead of assuming that a successful import means the project is correctly positioned.
Training turns platform capability into project quality
Hardware and software features do not create a dependable result by themselves. Our workflow is led by FARO-certified scan technicians and trainers, including a FARO Authorized Instructor. That experience connects station planning, target strategy, field settings, SCENE registration, coordinate review and the final deliverable.
The credential does not replace project QA. It strengthens the team's ability to recognize failure modes, explain limitations and choose an appropriate workflow. We still document capture limits, control, registration checks and output requirements for every assignment.
Why this is not a claim that FARO is always best
Leica's 2026 RTC platform and Trimble X9 publish credible capabilities including IP55 protection, automatic calibration and connected field workflows. A customer already standardized on Cyclone, Hexagon GeoCloud, Trimble Perspective, RealWorks or Business Center may reasonably prefer those ecosystems.
Our responsibility is to select a method that meets the project, disclose the basis and deliver usable information. FARO is the right core platform for our team because its capabilities align with our trained process and project mix—not because a logo can substitute for evidence.
The practical advantage is an integrated, well-understood workflow: appropriate Focus capture, reviewable SCENE registration and a tested handoff into the customer's AEC environment.
Frequently asked questions
Primary sources and standards
Technical claims in this guide were checked against the following manufacturer documentation, standards bodies and software documentation.