How SMJ Reduces Travel Time and Errors with 3D Scanning and Forma
June 2026How can you minimise travel, improve project accuracy and successfully involve project managers earlier in the process? SMJ Consulting Engineers share how 3D scanning and Autodesk Forma (formerly Construction Cloud) revolutionised their workflows while improving sustainability.
Challenge
SMJ wanted to reduce their travel activity, streamline manual processes, minimise errors, and create a better overview of projects for project managers.
Solution
By implementing 3D scanning and Forma, SMJ now has the ability to collect accurate data from construction sites at once and share it with each other in a digital 3D format.
Results
SMJ has reduced their travel and CO2 emissions by avoiding repeated visits to construction sites, and project managers have a good overview of the 3D models in Forma, which has increased accuracy and reduced errors.
Kristian O. Andreasen
ICT Manager at SMJ Consulting Engineers
From manual processes to precise models in 3D format
Before implementing 3D scanning, the surveying processes were done manually, which meant that employees sometimes had to travel repeatedly to a construction site to take measurements and then try to get an overview from the office.
Today, 3D scanning has made it possible to create an accurate picture of the construction site from the very first visit, which can then be viewed, shared and worked with in a digital model. This has meant that the project managers are more involved in projects from the start, as they can now work with precise models in 3D format, which also helps to reduce errors. This is also a great advantage for customer communications – Kristian says:
"We can clearly feel that customers are comfortable working with us because we have 3D tools that help us show the customer what the final product will be."
Autodesk Forma – a time-saving collaboration tool
With Autodesk Forma, SMJ has optimised their workflows. Prior to using Forma, documents and files were sent back and forth between project managers and other stakeholders, which was a time-consuming process that could result in both delays and errors. Today, all files and drawings can be accessed digitally, which helps to ensure a much faster approval process and that the projects are correct from the start.
Sustainability as a core value
SMJ has made sustainability an integral part of their processes. By making use of 3D scanning and Forma, they can significantly reduce their CO2 emissions, among other things, by minimising their travel activities and ensuring that projects are carried out more efficiently and accurately from the start. A good example of this is a project they have in Greenland, where Kristian O. Andreasen says:
"We have a district heating case in Greenland, so we went up there for a couple of days and had the entire location 3D scanned. Then we went back to the office, and have been working on that project ever since, back home from the Faroe Islands. It also helps us reduce our CO2 footprint because we don't have to travel back and forth, and that's relevant when it's as far away as, for example, Greenland is."
By using these digital tools, SMJ also gets a more accurate picture of which and how many materials are needed for a project, so they can choose sustainable building materials and thereby lower their CO2 footprint even further.
SMJ also encourages their customers to choose solutions that support increased sustainability and a circular economy – especially when dealing with construction, wastewater and waste management, and the transition to renewable energy sources.
The future looks bright
SMJ's focus on digitial transformation and sustainability ensures that they not only reduce costs and CO2 emissions, but at the same time also have a strong position in the market in relation to future requirements for construction and infrastructure. With NTI as partners and their efficient solutions from Autodesk, SMJ stands as an attractive partner for customers looking for innovative and sustainable solutions.
