My friend and fellow-Hoosier Eric Starks of FTR Associates gets it right in assessing a slightly improving freight demand marketplace against an equipment population that is underutilized, parked and being kept longer. Couple all this with the mini-prebuy in front of the 2010 engine emissions changes with all the new engine stuff, and we will have a slower year again for truck orders for Daimler Freightliner, Navistar, Paccar Inc’s Peterbilt / Kenworth brands and Volvo Truck.
While new truck build will continue well for a few more months with the pre-2010 engines (into the 2nd quarter this year), truck “orders” have fallen off to around 6,200 trucks for January - rivaling mid-2002 levels. Truck build and deliveries will continue depressed afterward and through this freight season, also affected by poor truck financing, increased truck prices, a lack of financing and apprehension about 2010 engines (and other reasons).
While we are all awaiting the upswing in freight demand, but once that happens we have a couple years worth of trucks to get back on the road. The number of cannibalized trucks has been greatly overstated and the cost of putting old trucks back on the road is only $4,000-$5,000 dollars - half the price increases of 2010 engine-powered trucks over 2009 ones. The base cost of an average used truck is one-third that of a new truck - and maintenance / repair costs don’t really start to kick in until engines need rebuilding a couple years later.
As discussed at the Heavy Duty Dialogue meeting last month in Las Vegas, fleets are looking at keeping their trucks longer. In my corporate days in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, we worked with fleets like UPS, YRC Worldwide, Schneider National, Swift, JB Hunt, Old Dominion, CRST and others knew well how to keep trucks a million miles - when engines only lasted a quarter of that. Today, Cummins and Detroit Diesel engines last 3-times that and trucks are much better, too. This can be a great opportunity for the parts and service sector, as parts margins there are still 30% plus!
Article source:
2010 Freight Levels Improving - But Truck Orders Have Headed Back South
2010年2月8日 星期一
2010年2月7日 星期日
Company shifts from auto parts to huts for Haiti
A struggling auto parts supplier in Windsor, Ont., is ramping up production of prefabricated shelters to house Haitians left homeless by January's earthquake.
For nearly a quarter of a century, Ground Effects Ltd. has produced parts for the big automakers, including everything from running boards to grill guards. But last year's crisis in the auto industry prompted company president James Scott to look for new ways to keep his business afloat and his workers employed.
Ground Effects began slowly producing modular shelters; pre-fabricated buildings that can be shipped in pieces. Last year, the company sent test units to Haiti to serve as school classrooms and residences.
"We had eight on the ground in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake happened, and all eight of them stood there without any damage to them," Scott told CBC News.
Since the quake, Scott's phone has been ringing with requests from aid organizations desperate for the shelters.
No power tools needed
The units are waterproof, but they are not anchored to the ground so they can move and sway in the wind.
"A lot of it goes together with wing nuts on the interior of the unit, so really you can do things by hand, for the most part," said Scott, adding that two people can put together a small (15 square metres) or large (35 square metres) shelter within two hours without power tools.
The shelter concept was designed by Miles Kennedy from Housall Systems in Ottawa and Ground Effects is the sole manufacturer. In the last nine months, Ground Effects has tweaked the design to make the shelters cheaper and lighter.
Ground Effects is preparing to ship 30 units purchased by Save the Children USA to Haiti next week. Scott said the sudden need to speed up production is good news for his company, but he regrets that it took a tragedy to make that happen.
"I never dreamed a crisis as bad as Haiti would single-handedly change our company overnight," he said.
Scott said he doubts the spike in demand will be temporary, noting that Haiti will take between seven and 10 years to rebuild. Aid agencies have called for 200,000 tents immediately to be used for housing, hospitals, offices and schools.
"Those 200,000 tents will break down," said Scott. "They'll have holes in them. They'll fly away in a matter of four, five, six months max. And so our units are needed today, but they're going to be needed down the road as well."
Workers offer nightshift to meet demand
Aid organizations working with the Canadian International Development Agency would like at least 400 shelters a week from Ground Effects, said Scott. But despite having added 150 employees since July, his company can currently only produce 175 shelters a week.
Scott plans to hire another 90 people as quickly as possible, which is welcome news in the city with the highest unemployment rate in the country.
The company is looking for everything from general labourers to welders and robotic technicians, though Scott said current staff have volunteered to work a midnight shift to boost production.
"If we had 5,000 or 10,000 of these units ready to go when the earthquake hit, they'd all be down in Haiti today," Scott said.
He estimates that Ground Effects will now see modular shelters make up 50 per cent of its business. While that has meant an identity shift, it's one Scott and his staff are happy about.
"We've watched the TV, we've been riveted with seeing pictures [from Haiti] and really overcome by all of that," he said.
"Then to know that our units are going to keep kids and their families dry and safe ... it does make us feel real good."
For nearly a quarter of a century, Ground Effects Ltd. has produced parts for the big automakers, including everything from running boards to grill guards. But last year's crisis in the auto industry prompted company president James Scott to look for new ways to keep his business afloat and his workers employed.
Ground Effects began slowly producing modular shelters; pre-fabricated buildings that can be shipped in pieces. Last year, the company sent test units to Haiti to serve as school classrooms and residences.
"We had eight on the ground in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake happened, and all eight of them stood there without any damage to them," Scott told CBC News.
Since the quake, Scott's phone has been ringing with requests from aid organizations desperate for the shelters.
No power tools needed
The units are waterproof, but they are not anchored to the ground so they can move and sway in the wind.
"A lot of it goes together with wing nuts on the interior of the unit, so really you can do things by hand, for the most part," said Scott, adding that two people can put together a small (15 square metres) or large (35 square metres) shelter within two hours without power tools.
The shelter concept was designed by Miles Kennedy from Housall Systems in Ottawa and Ground Effects is the sole manufacturer. In the last nine months, Ground Effects has tweaked the design to make the shelters cheaper and lighter.
Ground Effects is preparing to ship 30 units purchased by Save the Children USA to Haiti next week. Scott said the sudden need to speed up production is good news for his company, but he regrets that it took a tragedy to make that happen.
"I never dreamed a crisis as bad as Haiti would single-handedly change our company overnight," he said.
Scott said he doubts the spike in demand will be temporary, noting that Haiti will take between seven and 10 years to rebuild. Aid agencies have called for 200,000 tents immediately to be used for housing, hospitals, offices and schools.
"Those 200,000 tents will break down," said Scott. "They'll have holes in them. They'll fly away in a matter of four, five, six months max. And so our units are needed today, but they're going to be needed down the road as well."
Workers offer nightshift to meet demand
Aid organizations working with the Canadian International Development Agency would like at least 400 shelters a week from Ground Effects, said Scott. But despite having added 150 employees since July, his company can currently only produce 175 shelters a week.
Scott plans to hire another 90 people as quickly as possible, which is welcome news in the city with the highest unemployment rate in the country.
The company is looking for everything from general labourers to welders and robotic technicians, though Scott said current staff have volunteered to work a midnight shift to boost production.
"If we had 5,000 or 10,000 of these units ready to go when the earthquake hit, they'd all be down in Haiti today," Scott said.
He estimates that Ground Effects will now see modular shelters make up 50 per cent of its business. While that has meant an identity shift, it's one Scott and his staff are happy about.
"We've watched the TV, we've been riveted with seeing pictures [from Haiti] and really overcome by all of that," he said.
"Then to know that our units are going to keep kids and their families dry and safe ... it does make us feel real good."
2010年2月4日 星期四
Cherry Picked Auto Parts salvaging cars
One north Toledo auto parts store proves any junkyard dog can become the eco-friendliest of canines.
This new business drives home the point salvaging the planet is just as important as your car.
Cherry Picked Auto Parts store, off Detroit Avenue in north Toledo, opened up at the end of last year. Now the owner, Joel Beren, is convincing others this business is on the road to something big when it comes to saving our planet.
Cherry Picked Auto Parts is called a "pull apart" or self-serve salvage yard. The public has access to "cherry pick" parts they want or need for their own vehicle. And in this tough economy where you try to hold on to what you have, you really can't ask for more.
And while customer satisfaction is a top priority, keeping Mother Nature satisfied is just as important too. All contaminants, such as oil and antifreeze, are captured and recycled properly. Many of the cars themselves are even recycled down the road at OmniSource.
Beren's family has had a name in Toledo business for more than a century. Beren says this million dollar venture makes him hopeful concerning the state of the economy and environment as well.
This new business drives home the point salvaging the planet is just as important as your car.
Cherry Picked Auto Parts store, off Detroit Avenue in north Toledo, opened up at the end of last year. Now the owner, Joel Beren, is convincing others this business is on the road to something big when it comes to saving our planet.
Cherry Picked Auto Parts is called a "pull apart" or self-serve salvage yard. The public has access to "cherry pick" parts they want or need for their own vehicle. And in this tough economy where you try to hold on to what you have, you really can't ask for more.
And while customer satisfaction is a top priority, keeping Mother Nature satisfied is just as important too. All contaminants, such as oil and antifreeze, are captured and recycled properly. Many of the cars themselves are even recycled down the road at OmniSource.
Beren's family has had a name in Toledo business for more than a century. Beren says this million dollar venture makes him hopeful concerning the state of the economy and environment as well.
2010年2月3日 星期三
Toyota sales slide, Ford and GM gain
Toyota’s accelerator problems led to a 16 percent drop in January sales, but Ford and General Motors reported sharp gains.
Ford sold 24 percent more vehicles in the month, driven by rising fleet sales. Sales of Louisville-built Explorer, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator sport utility vehicles rose as did F-Series trucks, which include the Louisville-built Super Duty.
Still, cars led Ford’s January results of more than 112,000 vehicles sold.
The massive recall and sales halt of Camry, Corolla and six other models hurt Toyota’s sales, company officials said. The monthly total of 83,279 vehicles sold fell about 23 percent, or 20,000 vehicles, below the automaker’s earlier sales forecasts, Robert Carter, general manager of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. said on a conference call Tuesday with journalists.
When Toyota might recover its top-selling position remains unclear, he added.
“We are well aware we have quite a bit to do to regain the confidence of our customers,” he said.
Toyota plans begin production of new vehicles with a redesigned gas pedal Monday, but the company hasn’t said when it will resume selling the affected cars.
Despite a $1,000 incentive Ford offered to Toyota owners starting last week, vice president of sales Ken Czubay said it was too soon to say whether Ford had gained traction with Toyota buyers.
Roughly 50 percent of sedan buyers consider the Ford Fusion as well as a Toyota Camry, Ford senior sales analyst George Pipas said.
“Just a week into this announcement, it’s very hard to predict what is going to happen, and what will happen over the next 30 days,” Pipas said.
Sales of the Explorer rose 15 percent to 4,247 vehicles. F-Series pickup truck sales rose 9.5 percent. Ford sold 2,598 Expeditions, a 9.3 percent increase, and 726 Lincoln Navigator SUVs, up 9.5 percent.
Higher sales to government, commercial, and rental fleets “put Explorer and Expedition over the top,” Pipas said in an interview, adding retail demand for the heavy duty SUVs fell by more than one third compared to the same time one year ago.
GM said January sales rose 14 percent due partly to higher fleet sales.
Chrysler fell 8 percent on declining sales of Ram trucks and Jeeps, while Honda sales slipped 5 percent on weaker SUV and crossover demand.
Ford sold 24 percent more vehicles in the month, driven by rising fleet sales. Sales of Louisville-built Explorer, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator sport utility vehicles rose as did F-Series trucks, which include the Louisville-built Super Duty.
Still, cars led Ford’s January results of more than 112,000 vehicles sold.
The massive recall and sales halt of Camry, Corolla and six other models hurt Toyota’s sales, company officials said. The monthly total of 83,279 vehicles sold fell about 23 percent, or 20,000 vehicles, below the automaker’s earlier sales forecasts, Robert Carter, general manager of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. said on a conference call Tuesday with journalists.
When Toyota might recover its top-selling position remains unclear, he added.
“We are well aware we have quite a bit to do to regain the confidence of our customers,” he said.
Toyota plans begin production of new vehicles with a redesigned gas pedal Monday, but the company hasn’t said when it will resume selling the affected cars.
Despite a $1,000 incentive Ford offered to Toyota owners starting last week, vice president of sales Ken Czubay said it was too soon to say whether Ford had gained traction with Toyota buyers.
Roughly 50 percent of sedan buyers consider the Ford Fusion as well as a Toyota Camry, Ford senior sales analyst George Pipas said.
“Just a week into this announcement, it’s very hard to predict what is going to happen, and what will happen over the next 30 days,” Pipas said.
Sales of the Explorer rose 15 percent to 4,247 vehicles. F-Series pickup truck sales rose 9.5 percent. Ford sold 2,598 Expeditions, a 9.3 percent increase, and 726 Lincoln Navigator SUVs, up 9.5 percent.
Higher sales to government, commercial, and rental fleets “put Explorer and Expedition over the top,” Pipas said in an interview, adding retail demand for the heavy duty SUVs fell by more than one third compared to the same time one year ago.
GM said January sales rose 14 percent due partly to higher fleet sales.
Chrysler fell 8 percent on declining sales of Ram trucks and Jeeps, while Honda sales slipped 5 percent on weaker SUV and crossover demand.
2010年2月2日 星期二
3D in ALCATRAZ PRISON
“The Rock”, as the inmates had called it, was the main subject of a short documentary filmed this week in high definition 3D in and around the prison on Alcatraz Island by Stereomedia 3D Digital & Film Productions www3DStereomedia.com and Hoff Productions. Alcatraz prison is located in the middle of San Francisco Bay and was home to some of America’s most notorious prisoners including Chicago mob boss Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.
Our goal was to give viewers a “first-hand” look at penitentiary life in what was once America’s premier maximum-security prison from the early 1930’s to the mid 1960’s. Although Alcatraz had been a main subject in many motion pictures like “Birdman of Alcatraz, “The Rock” and “Escape from Alcatraz”, it had never been photographed in 3D.
We knew the greatest attribute of 3D is its ability to “transport” viewers into the experience they’re witnessing, so why not take them to a world where the hardest and most violent criminals in the entire U.S. prison system had lived, a place where inmates received few amenities and spent their days at hard labor breaking rocks and building roads.
No one felt the harsh reality of this fact more than Al Capone who was transferred from the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta not because he broke prison rules but because it was learned that he had convinced many of the guards to work for him and rumors were flying around that with the help of some of those guards, his gang was planning to break him out. When pictures of his cell in Atlanta Penitentiary were published, both politicians and the public were outraged and demanded that something be done.
Capone had become both a risk and an embarrassment to the System and something needed to be done to solve the problem. The simple solution was transfer to him to Alcatraz, where he would finally face the harsh reality of his actions and be completely cut-off from the world with no chance of escape.
Due to the unique shooting conditions of our locations, the first thing we realized was the heavy and cumbersome 3D camera “rig” generally used in 3DHD production had to be replaced with something far more manageable. Our director of photography designed a lightweight and quick to set-up, HD3D camera package compact enough to fit both on a small jib and Steadicam? and without the slightest compromise in image quality. A custom tailored 3D workflow was also created allowing the raw image data to be captured on a single, compact, stereo dual-link hard drive. These changes greatly facilitated the production and enabled the director far more creative freedom.
Personally, apart from the production itself, being in a place where so much anger and pain lived by so many souls and for such long a time, was a truly moving experience for us all. I believe the 3D footage we shot brings with it much of that emotion we all felt there.
Alcatraz is now part of the U.S. Park Service and plays host to more than a million visitors a year that ferry the mile and half across the bay to tour this famous island prison.
Our goal was to give viewers a “first-hand” look at penitentiary life in what was once America’s premier maximum-security prison from the early 1930’s to the mid 1960’s. Although Alcatraz had been a main subject in many motion pictures like “Birdman of Alcatraz, “The Rock” and “Escape from Alcatraz”, it had never been photographed in 3D.
We knew the greatest attribute of 3D is its ability to “transport” viewers into the experience they’re witnessing, so why not take them to a world where the hardest and most violent criminals in the entire U.S. prison system had lived, a place where inmates received few amenities and spent their days at hard labor breaking rocks and building roads.
No one felt the harsh reality of this fact more than Al Capone who was transferred from the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta not because he broke prison rules but because it was learned that he had convinced many of the guards to work for him and rumors were flying around that with the help of some of those guards, his gang was planning to break him out. When pictures of his cell in Atlanta Penitentiary were published, both politicians and the public were outraged and demanded that something be done.
Capone had become both a risk and an embarrassment to the System and something needed to be done to solve the problem. The simple solution was transfer to him to Alcatraz, where he would finally face the harsh reality of his actions and be completely cut-off from the world with no chance of escape.
Due to the unique shooting conditions of our locations, the first thing we realized was the heavy and cumbersome 3D camera “rig” generally used in 3DHD production had to be replaced with something far more manageable. Our director of photography designed a lightweight and quick to set-up, HD3D camera package compact enough to fit both on a small jib and Steadicam? and without the slightest compromise in image quality. A custom tailored 3D workflow was also created allowing the raw image data to be captured on a single, compact, stereo dual-link hard drive. These changes greatly facilitated the production and enabled the director far more creative freedom.
Personally, apart from the production itself, being in a place where so much anger and pain lived by so many souls and for such long a time, was a truly moving experience for us all. I believe the 3D footage we shot brings with it much of that emotion we all felt there.
Alcatraz is now part of the U.S. Park Service and plays host to more than a million visitors a year that ferry the mile and half across the bay to tour this famous island prison.
2010年2月1日 星期一
Quantum leap for mobile 3D control
Basic resistive or capacitive technologies are fine for locating where a screen is being touched but poor at gauging the pressure of the touch. The new technology from a company called Peratech, which is based in Richmond, North Yorkshire, uses a material called Quantum Tunnelling Composite (QTC), the resistance of which is extremely sensitive to pressure.
This means it can make writing on screens more like writing with pencil and paper, when the harder you press the thicker the line you produce. Peratech has just announced a $1.4m deal to licence the technology to Japanese mobile screen manufacturer Nissha.
Peratech says there is a lot of interest in the technology in the Far East for use in handwriting recognition, because Asian scripts use a lot of variation in line thickness. But pressure can also be used to control other parameters, for instance to facilitate navigation of 3D virtual worlds.
Takao Hashimoto, chief technology officer of Nissha, said: "QTC will be a disruptive technology for mobile phones enabling thinner phones to be designed with amazing new input interfaces."
Chris Lussey, joint chief executive of Peratech, said: "QTC changes the game when it comes to human machine interface design with capabilities to build truly 3D user interfaces in small, low power devices. This three dimensionality cannot be matched with existing resistive and capacitive technologies."
Quantum tunnelling is the passage of electrons across an extremely narrow gap containing what would normally be an insulator, when the electron behaves like wave rather than a particle. The QTC material contains of spiky nanometre-scale metal particles covered with a silicone insulator. The spikes concentrate charge at their tips, decreasing the energy required for electrons to tunnel.
The QTC layer has two other advantages. It is very thin, around 75 micrometres; and unlike rival technology it does not incorporate an air gap, making it both more sensitive and easier to manufacture.
Screens with a standard 2D touch matrix can get the extra measure of control using a narrow strip of QTC down the side. This responds to deformation caused by pressure anywhere on the screen; software can then estimate the pressure at the point of touch.
This means it can make writing on screens more like writing with pencil and paper, when the harder you press the thicker the line you produce. Peratech has just announced a $1.4m deal to licence the technology to Japanese mobile screen manufacturer Nissha.
Peratech says there is a lot of interest in the technology in the Far East for use in handwriting recognition, because Asian scripts use a lot of variation in line thickness. But pressure can also be used to control other parameters, for instance to facilitate navigation of 3D virtual worlds.
Takao Hashimoto, chief technology officer of Nissha, said: "QTC will be a disruptive technology for mobile phones enabling thinner phones to be designed with amazing new input interfaces."
Chris Lussey, joint chief executive of Peratech, said: "QTC changes the game when it comes to human machine interface design with capabilities to build truly 3D user interfaces in small, low power devices. This three dimensionality cannot be matched with existing resistive and capacitive technologies."
Quantum tunnelling is the passage of electrons across an extremely narrow gap containing what would normally be an insulator, when the electron behaves like wave rather than a particle. The QTC material contains of spiky nanometre-scale metal particles covered with a silicone insulator. The spikes concentrate charge at their tips, decreasing the energy required for electrons to tunnel.
The QTC layer has two other advantages. It is very thin, around 75 micrometres; and unlike rival technology it does not incorporate an air gap, making it both more sensitive and easier to manufacture.
Screens with a standard 2D touch matrix can get the extra measure of control using a narrow strip of QTC down the side. This responds to deformation caused by pressure anywhere on the screen; software can then estimate the pressure at the point of touch.
2010年1月28日 星期四
Alderman eyeing 3D cameras for cops
It’s a crime-fighting tool straight out of Bruce Wayne’s Batcave.
And for less than $200,000, it’s hoped the Leica ScanStation C10 will provide superhero levels of relief to Calgary motorists, clearing major crash scenes in minutes, rather than hours.
“If it can really maximize police resources, and it means they don’t have to tie up traffic for hours while they investigate, then it’s something we should be looking at,” said Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart.
Costing $115,000 for the device, plus another $85,000 for software and training, the C10 is a high-definition laser surveying scanner.
In layman’s terms, that means it’s a really impressive camera.
And if you’re a layman stuck in traffic, what’s impressive is the C10’s ability to speed up tedious and time-consuming police work.
What traditionally required hours with measuring tapes, ordinary cameras and notepads now takes only a few minutes, while providing a permanent and detailed record for police and lawyers.
The camera, sitting atop a tripod, scans the entire scene with lasers, recording details down to the 360-degree, three-dimensional millimetre.
“A room that would take hours now would take less than five minutes,” said Richard Andrews of Spatial Technologies, the company working with Calgary Police to test the C10 scanner.
Once the scan is complete, the scene can be cleared. If it’s a crash, the wreckage can be removed, and traffic can get back to normal.
Police can then review the scene at will, while judge and jury can virtually visit the location, if the evidence is needed in court.
Of course, the C10 and technology like it does more than record skid marks and debris at crash scenes, though for the average Calgarian, having roads reopened in minutes is the obvious benefit.
The Calgary Police Service is currently weighing the benefit of such cameras, after watching police forces across the U.S. put them to work for all manner of crimes, including murders and shootings.
“We’re aware of the technology, and we are looking at it,” said Calgary Police spokesman Kevin Brookwell.
Various systems, including the ScanStation C10 are being considered, and tested.
“We see tremendous value in that kind of technology,” said Brookwell.
Three-dimensional scanning been so successful as a crime-scene tool in the U.S. and Europe that A&E has developed an entire television show around the technology, called “Crime 360.”
In Georgia, police recently used a ScanStation in court to replay a fatal gunfight between two men, while Pennsylvania State Police used one to record the scene of the Amish school shooting in 2006.
In France, British police employed the camera to film the tunnel where Princess Diana was killed, during the 2006 Operation Paget investigation reviewing her death.
The L.A. Country Sheriff crime lab now has two of the Leica cameras for use for major incidents, including the 2008 Chatsworth train disaster.
On it goes, from Albuquerque to Texas.
Police forces which can afford the technology are praising the 3D cameras as the magnifying glass and fingerprint dusters of the modern era.
It’s expected they will also prove invaluable in cold cases, when the exact crime scene can be duplicated decades later.
It’s clearly the next step in police technology, and that’s why Colley-Urquhart is keen to see them used in Calgary. That’s providing the local police force determines they are something worth spending $200,000 on.
She’s selling the 3D scanner to the public as a traffic-clearing tool, knowing Calgarians are sick of seeing major roads reduced to a single lane for hours, as the measuring tapes are employed.
But Colley-Urquhart, who sits on the Calgary Police Commission, knows the camera would also be used for major crimes and incidents.
She just hopes city council supports the technology, once the police force requests it.
“It’s definitely something I’ll take forward and discuss with the police service, to see if they plan to include it in their next operating budget,” said Colley-Urquhart.
“If it’s something the police request, I’ll absolutely support it.”
And for less than $200,000, it’s hoped the Leica ScanStation C10 will provide superhero levels of relief to Calgary motorists, clearing major crash scenes in minutes, rather than hours.
“If it can really maximize police resources, and it means they don’t have to tie up traffic for hours while they investigate, then it’s something we should be looking at,” said Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart.
Costing $115,000 for the device, plus another $85,000 for software and training, the C10 is a high-definition laser surveying scanner.
In layman’s terms, that means it’s a really impressive camera.
And if you’re a layman stuck in traffic, what’s impressive is the C10’s ability to speed up tedious and time-consuming police work.
What traditionally required hours with measuring tapes, ordinary cameras and notepads now takes only a few minutes, while providing a permanent and detailed record for police and lawyers.
The camera, sitting atop a tripod, scans the entire scene with lasers, recording details down to the 360-degree, three-dimensional millimetre.
“A room that would take hours now would take less than five minutes,” said Richard Andrews of Spatial Technologies, the company working with Calgary Police to test the C10 scanner.
Once the scan is complete, the scene can be cleared. If it’s a crash, the wreckage can be removed, and traffic can get back to normal.
Police can then review the scene at will, while judge and jury can virtually visit the location, if the evidence is needed in court.
Of course, the C10 and technology like it does more than record skid marks and debris at crash scenes, though for the average Calgarian, having roads reopened in minutes is the obvious benefit.
The Calgary Police Service is currently weighing the benefit of such cameras, after watching police forces across the U.S. put them to work for all manner of crimes, including murders and shootings.
“We’re aware of the technology, and we are looking at it,” said Calgary Police spokesman Kevin Brookwell.
Various systems, including the ScanStation C10 are being considered, and tested.
“We see tremendous value in that kind of technology,” said Brookwell.
Three-dimensional scanning been so successful as a crime-scene tool in the U.S. and Europe that A&E has developed an entire television show around the technology, called “Crime 360.”
In Georgia, police recently used a ScanStation in court to replay a fatal gunfight between two men, while Pennsylvania State Police used one to record the scene of the Amish school shooting in 2006.
In France, British police employed the camera to film the tunnel where Princess Diana was killed, during the 2006 Operation Paget investigation reviewing her death.
The L.A. Country Sheriff crime lab now has two of the Leica cameras for use for major incidents, including the 2008 Chatsworth train disaster.
On it goes, from Albuquerque to Texas.
Police forces which can afford the technology are praising the 3D cameras as the magnifying glass and fingerprint dusters of the modern era.
It’s expected they will also prove invaluable in cold cases, when the exact crime scene can be duplicated decades later.
It’s clearly the next step in police technology, and that’s why Colley-Urquhart is keen to see them used in Calgary. That’s providing the local police force determines they are something worth spending $200,000 on.
She’s selling the 3D scanner to the public as a traffic-clearing tool, knowing Calgarians are sick of seeing major roads reduced to a single lane for hours, as the measuring tapes are employed.
But Colley-Urquhart, who sits on the Calgary Police Commission, knows the camera would also be used for major crimes and incidents.
She just hopes city council supports the technology, once the police force requests it.
“It’s definitely something I’ll take forward and discuss with the police service, to see if they plan to include it in their next operating budget,” said Colley-Urquhart.
“If it’s something the police request, I’ll absolutely support it.”
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