Reclamation Information Sharing Environment (RISE)

Research Question: Can Reclamation harness this powerful new toolset to three-dimensionally map componentry and equipment, with high-accuracy and speed, while subsequently reducing maintenance and repair costs through time-savings and an expansion of in-house capability? Laser metrology equipment was purchased to explore their use around Reclamation facilities during mechanical maintenance and inspections, and in a lab environment for analysis of test samples and mechanical parts. Various case studies revealed many applications in which laser metrology equipment could be used around Reclamation to aid in the measurement and analysis of hydro-generators, geological samples, and machine parts. The capability of digitally three-dimensionally mapping components adds significant advantages over traditional measurement methods including, measurement accuracy, validation, and the ability to archive measurements. The studies also revealed instances in which laser metrology is inferior to traditional measurement methods due to the measurement complexity, time requirement, and error that is required by a measurement.