Status of the 3D Scanner

3D Fabrication
#9

Photogametry isn’t perfect, sure, but it does have a lot of advantages too. The resolution and volume is limited by the imaging device, which means there is a lot of versatility for detail and size. You surely couldn’t put a car on our scanner, and I would also expect it to struggle on something small like a dime too. Yes, lighting can be tricky and sometimes it’s just fuzzy.

I think the biggest benefit is that since photogametry is essentially software, there is nothing to break. Also, members could take shots off-site and process them at the space which would add a ton of versilitity.

My experience with structured light systems is that they’re expensive, require a mono-colored surface (talc everything), and over times needs those positional marker stickers. That is 10 year old information though.

I didn’t think of our scanner as particularly capable personally. It was slow, hard to use, not terribly high resolution, and had a dead side due to having a single camera. If we want to stick to laser, is a handyscan or similar system an option?

#10

We should definitely evaluate if we would want another nextengine or something else but we should have a laser system.

I’m not saying photogrammetry is useless, I still use it but it doesn’t suit what a lot of members use it for.

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#11

I’ve seen a lot more use out of a handheld scanner like the 3D Systems Sense, it’s useable for scanning things like people, hands, and objects of similar sizes. A few students in school used it to print busts or scan themselves and animate the mesh.

The nextengine (we had the version with a single axis turntable) only saw use when very detailed scans were needed (like scanning a ring). It was much more complicated and limited in sizes compared to the handheld versions.

The sense comes new for $500, I’d recommend purchasing one and seeing what use it gets. If we find people are needing to scan items that are smaller and more detailed than it’s capable of we could revisit the nextengine in the future.

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#12

I’ll bet. Either that or use a photocopier…

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#13

Actually Kee @fedakkee had a class,in the automotive bay, that scanned a bumper on a car. I’m not sure what the guy that wanted his bumper scanned was going to do with it. I wasn’t in the class but I saw him doing it.

Russell Ward

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#14

Pics here

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#15

yeah, the scanner wasn’t tied to the specific turntable but using it outside of that config was definitely advanced usage.

#16

I admit I don’t know too much about 3d scanning, but I think I would love a handheld device.

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#17

“As discussed, your Scanner is in very bad shape and not sure that we can repair it.”

I, for one, am curious to know what “very bad shape” means specifically.

Does the device have a design or manufacturing defect? Did we break it, and if so, how and what components? Will we break the new one the exact same way out of ignorance or neglect, or will we find new and exciting ways to ■■■■-up a $2,600 toy?

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#18

here are 2 posibilities, I welcome any input and links to other scanners here so we can make a descision next week.

here is a very inexpensive one

Here is a more expensive one

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#19

I used the old 3D scanner to make a copy of a rifle grip, with a lot of help from Kee. It turned out very well. Some observations.

The old 3D scanner floated around DMS for years without anyone doing much useful with it. There were classes in it, I took a class, that didn’t seem to train anyone enough to profitably use it. Kee spent literally weeks learning the proper way to use it. He taught many classes a week with the classes being full. The man knew how to use this tool. He made violins that his sons played here at DMS for us. They sounded wonderful. I guess Kee burned out, or life got in the way, he hasn’t been around for months.

I haven’t seen anything that has been successfully made using the 3D scanner since he left. I think that the 3D scanner is an expensive tool that requires a high level of skill and dedication to put to good use. Without people that knowledgeable and dedicated I fear that an expensive scanner will just gather dust in a corner. I may be too pessimistic. It is an incredible tool that is the only solution for some rather rare tasks.

If you are scanning art where absolute dimensions aren’t required photogrammetry probably would be adequate. If you are trying to scan parts for machine parts where 1/16" is too large of a tolerance you need this kind of a scanner.

I’m not sure that a handheld scanner would give the accurate scale you are looking for for the machine part I mentioned above. The old scanner required that you placed the object to be scanned at a known distance and if you were going to scan around the object there was a turntable that the scanner controlled that would accurately control the angle of successive scans.

Russell Ward

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#20

I guess what I am trying to say with all of that above is that a good 3D scanner would be in the same class as the HAAS mill. For us to get a real benefit from it we would need to have people that are willing to learn how to use it and teach other people how to use it. Kind of a life long love affair. There will never be a large number of people that will put it to use but everyone will look at it and say, “Cool”.

Russell Ward

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#21

After watching the youtube video on the second scanner I posted a link to I would have to strongly disagree. That one for the most part is point and pull the trigger, the software part look easy and user friendly as well.

I used the old scanner on several occasions and had great successes with it for the projects I did

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#22

My point was that if you scan 2 parts and want them to fit together closely the distance of the scanner from the object may cause fitting problems. If they are stand alone parts then the photogrammetry tool would probably do as well.

I’m not for or against any of the options discussed here. I’m just trying to point out some possible edge issues with the scanners. I think that a really powerful use of a 3D scanner would be for scanning an object to make a piece that will fit that object. In effect using the scanner to measure an object.

Russell Ward

#23

If you want the two parts to fit well, you really should be reverse engineering them, not just scanning them. 1/16" is gigantic in the machining world.

#24

That’s practical for very orthogonal surfaces, but not very practical for organic surfaces.

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#25

Here is a quick video on the Peel 2 hand held scanner

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#26

At the 3D Fab meeting today, it was proposed that we buy a Einscan Pro 3D Scanner. This is a good machine. Also, the status of the NextEngine Scanner is essentially unknown. We don’t know if it is repaired or broken.

A couple of observations: The NextEngine, while it is slow and tedious, does amazingly accurate work, on any sized object you choose to scan. It utilizes an advanced concept of Laser Triangulation, which is inherent to machines costing 10X as much. I think it is worth repairing.

The new scanner is worth pursuing. Einscan is very fast and accurate, also it is easy to use. They have competitors in this price range; Peel-3D and David make comparable machines, but Einscan appears to be the best in class of these “structured light” scanners, and will suit many purposes within their prescribed size ranges.

The ultimate Scanner is a Zeiss, which we cannot afford at >$50K It’s funny, the company I work for was the global leader in spectrophotometer scanners in 2D for 30 years; they were the foundation of the Graphic Arts industry. We used to sell these things for $250k, back when that was a lot of money, and people fell over themselves to get in line.

It was voiced at the meeting, that we should seek out a supplier who can bring us a scanner to try out. I found a rental company in Houston, but no one who would just loan us a demo.

#27

Sub $50k, I think you’re going to have a tough time getting someone to come out for a demo. You may find someone you can visit and you should be able to send some parts in and have them scan them however. At least that’s how we did it when I sold laser scanners.

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#28

Where is our NextEngine Scanner?