Rethinking Scan-to-BIM: From Traditional Workflows to Pocket-Sized BIM Modeling

In the growing universe of BIM (Building Information Modelling), there exists a wide spectrum of software applications designed to either create or interact with BIM data. Broadly speaking, we can classify these into two fundamental categories:

1. BIM Authoring Tools – These are applications that allow users to create BIM models from scratch. They include full control over geometry, object classification, parametric relationships, and attribute management. Notable examples include Autodesk Revit, Graphisoft Archicad, Bentley AECOsim (OpenBuildings), Tekla Structures, Allplan, Blender/Bonsai and others.

   
   

2. BIM Coordination and Analysis Tools – These systems can view, analyze, and in some cases annotate or manipulate BIM data, but they are not designed to author core geometry or structural systems. Examples include Solibri, BEXEL Manager, iTWO, Navisworks, BIMcollab Zoom and many others.

   
   

Understanding this distinction is essential when examining how real-world objects are brought into digital workflows, especially through the technique known as Scan-to-BIM.

Traditional Scan-to-BIM Workflows: Power and Complexity

Scan-to-BIM is a well-established methodology in the AEC industry, especially useful for project survey, as-built documentation, heritage preservation, renovation, and quality control. The core idea is simple: physical elements from the real world are captured using laser scanners or LiDAR sensors, producing a point cloud - a dense, three-dimensional dataset of spatial coordinates.

These point clouds are typically processed in specialized software (e.g., Autodesk ReCap, FARO Scene, Leica Cyclone, iTwin Capture Modeler and many others), then imported into BIM authoring tools like Revit or Archicad. There, modelers reconstruct the objects, often manually, aligning parametric BIM elements with the cloud data. While semi-automated methods exist, this process remains labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Photogrammetry can be used as a complementary or alternative method. It involves capturing a series of photographs from multiple angles and reconstructing geometry through image matching and specialized algorithms that infer depth and spatial structure from overlapping images.

Despite their strengths, both methods share limitations: high equipment costs, expert-level software proficiency, and long turnaround times. This makes them ideal for large-scale or high-value projects but less viable for frequent use on small components or rapid iterations.

Many tools today are already capable of automatically reconstructing surfaces and generating 3D objects from point clouds. However, when it comes to full object-level BIM parameterization - defining semantic types, materials, metadata, and structured relationships - the process still relies heavily on manual work.

A New Direction: Mobile Tools that Bridge Reality and BIM

Recently, a new class of tools has begun to emerge - ones that combine mobile 3D scanning and BIM intelligence directly on handheld devices. Among them is BIM Scanner, developed by Solebo LTD in Cyprus. Rather than serving as a data acquisition tool requiring downstream processing, BIM Scanner is positioned as a full-cycle solution: scan, process, classify, and export - all on an iPhone Pro or iPad Pro with built-in LiDAR. Notably, BIM Scanner integrates AI-driven techniques behind the scenes - powering optimization algorithms for surface reconstruction and enabling pattern recognition during the scanning process.

While these AI components are not the focus of user interaction, they play a significant role in making the app intuitive and effective. This use of artificial intelligence reflects a broader trend in the industry: as AI becomes more embedded, it enhances user experience without demanding attention.

The workflow is designed to be intuitive: the user walks around the object, scanning it in real time; the device builds a mesh and captures textures on the fly. Once the scan is complete, the user can define the object type (e.g., furniture, equipment, building element), assign IFC classification, add materials or metadata, and export an IFC 4.3 model directly from the device.

No internet connection is required. No third-party software. No powerful desktop. Just one mobile device.

This represents a significant shift in how we think about BIM modeling - not as something confined to the office or lab, but as an activity that can happen onsite, immediately after encountering the object in question.

Why BIM Scanner Matters in Practice

Creating BIM models often involves incorporating specific objects or components that fall outside standard libraries. Whether it’s a custom fixture, a manufacturer’s prototype, or a unique structural element, modeling these forms manually can be both time-consuming and labor-intensive.

BIM Scanner addresses this gap by enabling professionals to scan and generate BIM-ready models of such elements directly from mobile devices, streamlining integration into ongoing projects.

Key Benefits:

• Accelerate Early-Stage Design

  
  

  Quickly scan and insert non-standard forms into your BIM environment, saving valuable time during conceptual and schematic phases.

  
  

• Enhance Construction Monitoring

  
  

  Capture and compare existing on-site conditions with design intent - without the overhead of traditional laser scanning.

  
  

• Support Manufacturers and Product Developers

  
  

  Empower building product manufacturers to create their own 3D BIM catalogs for use in architectural workflows, AR visualization, and specification tools.

  
  

Where This Changes the Game

The benefits are especially pronounced in areas that are traditionally underserved by classic scan-to-BIM workflows:

• Small Architectural Forms - Standard panels, structural elements, decorative cornices, moldings, masonry components, and other complex shapes that are difficult to measure manually or model precisely can now be captured efficiently. This enables architects and engineers to integrate accurate representations of such components directly into their BIM workflows.

  
  

• Building Products and Fixtures - Manufacturers can create their own IFC-ready digital catalogs without outsourcing or waiting for BIM content developers.

  
  

• Interior Objects and Furniture - Designers can insert realistic models of custom objects into their digital environments, improving visualization and coordination.

  
  

• Sculptures and Artifacts - Museums, archaeologists, and conservators can document small objects with spatial fidelity and share them in structured formats.

  
  

In each of these cases, the barrier to BIM entry is significantly lowered - not only financially, but technically. The learning curve of mobile scanning tools like BIM Scanner is minimal, requiring no more skill than using a smartphone camera.

Conclusion: Toward a More Inclusive BIM Future

As the AEC industry continues to digitize, tools like BIM Scanner represent a critical evolution: they democratize BIM content creation and enable a broader group of professionals - from small design studios to on-site engineers and cultural researchers - to contribute to structured digital models.

It doesn’t replace traditional scan-to-BIM workflows; it complements them. Large projects with complex geometry or high regulatory demands will still benefit from high-resolution scanning and manual model reconstruction. But for everyday objects, rapid prototyping, or component cataloging, mobile BIM modeling closes the gap between the physical and digital in an elegant, affordable, and empowering way.

More information about the tool is available at bimscan.app.

About the author

Ivan Shtaer is a BIM inquisitor, power control expert, GIS expert, AI adept and BIMscan.app developer.

Breakwithanarchitect © 2025 by Nicoleta Panagiotidou. Licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Sharing is encouraged with credit and link to the original post, but full reproduction requires prior written consent.