3D Scanner for the space

[Sk8nmike]

Haven’t see this topic brought up so I thought I would.

With all the interest in 3D printers, the Laser cutter/engraver and the soon to arrive CNC router I would think people would be looking for things to cut/carve/print.

With this in mind why don’t we have a 3D Scanner? Or a group interesting in building one. There are many on the market from Several thousand dollars down to Hundred dollar kits (you get what you pay for).

What would it take to either crowd source one or get the committees to pony up?

[SRichardson3D]

For what its worth, we DO actually have a 3D Scanner. Its the DAVID Laser Scanner package, and is still in its box in the 3D Fab room (on one of the white shelves by the door, last I saw it). A few people including myself have looked into getting it to work, but we have run into a few hurdles along the way. I keep meaning to pick it back up as a project, but just haven’t yet.

I believe we’ve discussed going in on a 3D scanner before but it was decided to use the funds for more printers or something to that effect, since there appears to be a much greater need for printers than for scanners.

If you’re willing to wait, I know the Peachy Printers I and several others are getting (they should be shipping this Spring/Summer, hopefully) can easily be converted into 3D Laser Scanners as well.

Beyond that, I know John K. owns several different scanning rigs, some of them very nice ones, and has done some experimenting with them. I’m sure he has lots to share regarding the different setups he’s tried.

If it ever gets to a point of voting, I’m all for getting a nice scanner at some point.

[ispljjd]

I would be willing to donate funds, if a new purchase is required.

[LisaSelk]

Hi Mike!

We’ve discussed scanners a few times in the past.
As Shaun mentioned, we do have a David Scanner that you are welcome to check out. I believe to date Pearce has had the most ‘luck’ with it; but, the files generated from the scans are not real great.

As Shaun also mentioned, John K has a couple different scanning ‘rigs’ that he has scanned several members and guests with. Initially, he was using a Microsoft Kinect - which worked pretty well for what he was using it for (scanning our heads… ). He now owns a Sense (http://cubify.com/Products/Sense) which I believe he uses for scanning more heads (hehe…) as well as other objects.

At one point, I was wanting to set up a full body scanning rig using two or three kinects based on these types of rigs:

• http://hackaday.com/2013/06/23/kinect-full-body-scanner
• https://www.inventables.com/projects/the-scan-o-tron-3000-full-body-3d-scanner

THEN I saw this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Multiple-Raspberry-PI-3D-Scanner
So, as far as DIY full body scanning rigs - that is what I’d really like to try do! (using multiple RaspberryPi’s that is…).

In addition to the full body scanning rig that I’d like to see become a reality at the 'Space, Andrew Falgout has already started a fund to purchase a “Next Engine 3d Scanner” (http://www.nextengine.com)

To help build funds, he sold some equipment of his and donated it to the fund. I believe the following is the up to date information:

*Running Total: $446.75
*Silent Auctions:
#1 R300 Service Tag B6SDHH1 ($75.00)
#2 Dell 2850 Sale: $250.00
#3 Dell 2850 Sale: $71.76
#4 Dell 2950 Sale: $50.00

I’ve tagged Andrew Falgout, Paul and Ben in order to see if we can get a confirmation on the current amount in the fund for a commercial handheld scanner, as well as a direct PayPal link for the fund.

Hi “ispljjd”! (sorry, I don’t recognize your username to know your actual name… )
Thanks for offering to donate toward a 3D scanner!

We are going to have a 3D Fab meeting on January 17th from 4 PM - 5 PM. If you can make it, it would be great to have your input on whether you’d rather donate money toward the handheld Next Engine 3d Scanner and/or money/elbow grease toward a Raspberry Pi Full Body Scanning Rig that I’d like to have built as a 3D Fab project - hopefully some time this year.

Thanks y’all!

@Sk8nmike, @SRichardson3D, @ispljjd, @Andrew_Falgout, @pawl, @BenjaminGroves, @PearceDunlap, @JohnK

[Andrew_Falgout]

That looks right Lisa, but Ben/Paul will be the only ones that can truly
agree with it. We do have the ability to scan, and we can get a cheap low
res scanner, my goal was to get us a GOOD commercial scanner.

http://www.nextengine.com/

This is the one I’ve targetted.

./Andrew Falgout

[Sk8nmike]

I’d like a good one too. Most of what I would do would be smaller scans with a lot of detail that I can turn into CNC models.

I’d be willing to kick in $100 towards one

Mike

[LisaSelk]

@Andrew_Falgout - Thanks for the clarification!

@Sk8nmike - Thanks for the offer of a donation toward a quality scanner!

I’m going to try to be at the Board of Directors Meeting today (Sunday 11th @ 4 PM), and will try to get a link that we can use for the donation.

[SRichardson3D]

I know several of us have tried getting the laser-scanning portion of DAVID to work, but out of curiosity, has anyone tried using the Structured Light Scanning option? Its supposed to be able to do very rapid full-body scanning by casting patterns through a projector.

[themitch22]

I would like to use a next engine scanner it seems to get pretty good results for its price ~$3000.

Honestly, my experience with 123D catch has been really good. Its a free app from autodesk on your phone, you take 20-30 well lit pictures of an object from every direction and their cloud-based photo telemetry does its magic. They let you download the OBJ and textures, you can clean up the model in MeshMixer (also autodesk) and get a decent looking STL for printing.

Here’s a model I took with 123D catch, you might recognize it as that dimetrodon toy in 3D fab. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:506840

[Andrew_Falgout]

That is a good looking Dinosaur. My hopes for the scanner is for people to be able to scan parts for replacement in case of breakage, and get something that works out of the gate or with little tweaking.

[Sk8nmike]

I took a look at the David Scanner we have last night, and it’s old, really old, like 1 generation past the free Beta I have. I can see why no one got it to work, the camera in it is crap and too low resolution and the laser line is too thick. The newer versions use a structured light from a video projector and have much better scans, but for the price I think we can do better

[Captchemo]

I saw this scanner rig today: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150113-shining-3d-launches-new-and-affordable-high-resolution-desktop-3d-scanner.html and it’s $900. Might be worth looking at.

I have a Next Engine at the Perot. It’s very nice, but I honestly haven’t used it as much as I thought I would, considering how much it cost…(not getting access to all the cool fossils…) I would be willing to demo it if you guys are serious about getting one. The scans take a bit of time and still need a fair amount of cleanup, depending on the object you scanned. I’m not sure it’s worth the cost, if you look at how much it would actually be used.

my 2 cents.
Patrick

[Sk8nmike]

Patrick,

Would it be possible to bring it to the Space on a weekend or evening, maybe do a few scans to let us see it in action?

Mike

[Captchemo]

Definitely, that was what I was thinking… I’m swamped until after next Friday, but pretty open after that.
patrick

[LisaSelk]

Yeah the David Scanner we have was donated to the 'Space a couple years ago. It was free and 100% better than the scanner we never had before getting it!

Even though it’s not the greatest, I’d still like to see if someone can CAD up a file (or see if there’s a suitable one online - like one of the files from Thingiverse, etc…) to print/build a rig to hold the laser pointer, cam and maybe even get ‘fancy’ with a rotating platform to see if we can get ‘some’ use out of it. I mean… The box looks kewl 'n all; but, imagine actually USING what’s in the box?!!

Thx for the link Pat! That looks pretty kewl! I haven’t looked at the side by side specs (between that and the Next Engine)… But, def looks more promising than the David Scanner we currently have.

…and, speaking of the Next Engine… It would be So Totally Awesome if you could bring it by to let us see it in action! Naturally, my preference would be on a weekend - since I work so late during the week… But, either way ~ Yes, we would love to see a live demo when you have time to do it!

Thanks, y’all!

[David_Walker]

I was chatting with a DMS member (sorry, can’t remember his name) in the 3D Lab last night and he mentioned raising money to buy a super-duper 3D scanner for the 3D Lab.

[Andrew_Falgout]

It was me… we talked about the month that has already been raised.

[LisaSelk]

UPDATE:

I added an agenda item to the Board of Directors Meeting that’s coming up THIS Sunday to request funds for the purchase a NextEngine 3D Scanner HD PRO with MultiDrive.

Here is a link to the agenda item on the wiki:
https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Board_of_Directors_Meeting_20150419#Purchase_a_NextEngine_3D_Scanner_HD_PRO_with_MultiDrive_.28Lisa_Selk.29

[LisaSelk]

Here is a link to a review of the scanner:

http://3d-scanners.ireviews.com/nextengine-3d-scanner-hd-review

…and a small blurb from that review:

The NextEngine 3D Scanner HD offers a high fidelity scan that rivals printers in a much higher price range. It is touted by the manufacturer as, “not a cheaper 3D Scanner,” but “…a better scanner that costs less.”

[LisaSelk]

UPDATE:

As previously mentioned, I did add a request for a 3D Scanner on this month’s Board Meeting agenda. It was tabled for now. Below is my response on a thread regarding the board meeting.

On another topic

3D Fab is very pleased with the interest shown by the Board of Directors for our future purchase of a quality 3D Scanner! From what I gathered, the primary reason the request was tabled (not passed), was due to budget concerns. I will take their advise and submit it again.

Prior to the board meeting, Robert, one of the board members, had expressed his concern that the Next Engine may not be as high quality as he would like to see for Dallas Makerspace. After the board meeting, at least one member suggested we consider asking for an industrial quality scanner - basically thinking forward to get the best Dallas Makerspace can afford!

With that feedback, I have added acquiring an High Quality, High Definition 3D Scanner to next month’s board meeting: (https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Board_of_Directors_Meeting_20150517#Acquire_a_High_Definition_3D_Scanner_.28Lisa_Selk.29). As the first solution to consider, I suggested an industrial quality scanner (at a cost of $20,000 or more) for the board to consider; and, also added the top of the line “Under 10,000 range scanner” (that I had suggested during this month’s meeting) as the second solution to consider.

Over the next couple weeks, I will be doing some research into the industrial quality scanners ($10,000 - $50,000 range). I will start with the information found at this review site: http://3d-scanners.ireviews.com/2015-best-3d-scanners-under-50000-review.

Please feel free to add suggestions. It would be most awesome if we could acquire a super high quality scanner that could be used to scan vehicles as well as small objects!!! (and, we will have the top of the line “mid-to-pretty-darn-great” range 3D Scanner that I had on the agenda for this month ~ which I would still be more than excited to have at the 'Space!!!)