LiDARs are great devices for detecting obstacles and measuring distances. Here we use one for taking precise distance readings up to 12 meters with a resolution of 1 cm. My original idea of buying a TFMini-S LiDAR was to build some kind of radar with it. But, as happens so often, nothing really got done with the device until I had an enlightening experience at my job.

Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) pipes are long pipes with a diameter of 300 mm or more and with a length of up to twelve meters. They are used in our power plant for ash slurry transportation. One day, while handling these long pipes for assembly line-up of ash slurry discharge pipelines, I found that my team had to measure each pipe precisely before taking them out through the exit gate. Every day, at least 30 to 50 times, someone has to devote time for doing these measurements. Out in the open under a 47°C scorching sun, holding the tape measure at one end and a supervisor on the other end, then recording the len...