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04/08/2022

The measurement solution for stonemasons

By cornelia.dietz

Leica Geosystems TruStory
Leica 3D Disto
The measurement solution for stonemasons

FİLİZTAŞ YAPI SAN

Company
FİLİZTAŞ YAPI SAN. Adapazarı / Sakarya Turkey

The challenge
Complex measurements for porcelain stonework in a newly built, exclusive villa with curved stairs and floors with different patterns, requiring attention to detail.

The solution
All walls, floors, windows, doors and details of the rooms captured using a Leica 3D Disto, and the data processed in AutoCAD software.

The result

  • Reliable, accurate measurement
  • Speedy processing of data in the software
  • Precise manufacture of the stone patterns on the CNC machine
  • Approximately 75% time saved on this project

Ömer Faruk Filiz, Project Manager at Filiz Tas Yapi

Ömer Faruk Filiz, Project Manager at Filiz Tas Yapi

stone fabrication

The company

Filiztaş Yapı was established in 1986 and has more than 35 years as a leader in the stone fabrication industry. With decades of expertise the company has knowledge and experience in a wide range of applications including: custom-made kitchen countertops, swimming pools, complete interior finishing, floor coating, staircases, fireplaces, facades and many more. Filiztaş Yapı’s quality craftmanship, using the best materials, combined with hi-tech tools provides exceptional customer satisfaction. To maintain this standard the company’s 7 employees have been using the Leica 3D Disto for almost 10 years.

The challenge

Filiztas Yapı’s project, an estate comprising six luxury villas, used a total of 6000m² porcelain materials, costing approximately €600k. The material used was Neolith – a highly durable, very expensive composite with a fragile chemical structure requiring special diamond cutting blades and accurate measurements. Any measurement errors in the project could result in costly wastage. Every floor in all 6 villas features a unique and intricate layout pattern requiring close attention to detail. The design also includes curved stairs with integral lighting. This kind of project demands a perfect finish to meet client expectations.

The key consideration was to take error-free digital measurements.

The main challenge in this project was the spiral staircases. The measurements to the uneven and bevelled concrete had to be accurate. Irregularities on the wall areas was another measurement challenge but easily resolved using the Leica 3D Disto.

Workflow

All site measurements were taken with the Leica 3D Disto. In complicated rooms where many measurements were required the horizontal scanning tool was useful. The measurement start and end points were defined, together with the interval spacing. The Leica 3D Disto did the rest – quickly and fully automatically. This function is also ideal for countertop projects.

The relocation function was also a must for measuring a spiral staircase. This feature allowed the relocation of the 3D Disto into a defined coordinate system previously established by the secure location procedure. It is used to either display several rooms in a single, coherent measurement or subsequently add additional measurements to previously saved files. Simply measure from room to room and instantly track the measurement point by point on your tablet screen. The perspective view can be customized and changed at any time.

In addition the vertical scan was used to measure a big arched window. With the 3D Disto you can also reach inaccessible points, inclinations and angles simply and easily from the floor, without the need for a ladder or mobile access platform.

After measuring you can export to CAD and finally transfer the data to CNC machines where the final parts are directly produced.

“The Leica 3D Disto is very easy to use. It has a Turkish menu onboard and is intuitive to operate,” said Project Manager Ömer Faruk Filiz. Should any questions arise the technical support team at Leica Disto Turkey were on hand to help.

The time before the Leica 3D Disto

Previously, the company used conventional time-consuming measuring methods such as carton templates which can lead to really costly mistakes. Instead of using carton templates and having a team revisit the site for measuring and modification work during installation, only one person is required when using the Leica 3D Disto.

Using the staircase as an example: Measuring a staircase in a building shell seems to be an impossible task for a non-expert, and for a professional it is a challenge but one that can be mastered. If the staircase extends over several floors, you go to the site with a team of two or three, use several plumbing lines, tension cords, run up and down ladders, make sketches and note your measurements. After several hours at the site you enter your more or less accurate measurements into your software and start planning. By now you have invested a great deal of time before you have even made the first cut.

Efficiency

The Leica 3D Disto has helped the company in almost every project but in terms of total costs, the last project was the most efficient.

“One villa was finished within 3 months. If we had used carton templates it would have taken us a year to finish such a complicated project,” said a satisfied Ömer Faruk Filiz. “This is the time saved on one villa, just imagine how efficient it was for 6 villas!”

At the outset the company’s main mission was to make zero mistakes and avoid any costly errors. The Leica 3D Disto completely exceeded expectations and increased the Filiztaş Yapı’s reputation for quality with customers.

Measuring the stairs with the Leica 3D Disto gives immediate  control using a tablet

Measuring the stairs with the Leica 3D Disto gives immediate control using a tablet

Optimized programming for the stone parts on the CNC machine

Optimized programming for the stone parts on the CNC machine 

Precise stonemasonry without rework

Precise stonemasonry without rework

A curved, illuminated staircase with perfect stone work

A curved, illuminated staircase with perfect stone work