Reasons for 3D Scanning

· Archiving of measures
· Clay model digitizing
· Complex shape capture
· Inspection
· Models and mock-ups
· Freeform shape acquisition
· Packaging design
· Rapid prototyping
· Reverse Engineering
· Styling, design and analysis
· Three-dimensional archiving

A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance (i.e. color). The collected data can then be used to construct digital, three dimensional models useful for a wide variety of applications. These devices are used extensively by the entertainment industry in the production of movies and video games. Other common applications of this technology include industrial design , orthotics and prosthetics, reverse engineering and prototyping, quality control /inspection and documentation of cultural artifacts.

Many different technologies can be used to build these 3D scanning devices; each technology comes with its own limitations, advantages and costs. It should be remembered that many limitations in the kind of objects that can be digitized are still present: for example optical technologies encounter many difficulties with shiny, mirroring or transparent objects.

There are however methods for scanning shiny objects, such as covering them with a thin layer of white powder that will help more light photons to reflect back to the scanner. Laser scanners can send trillions of light photons toward an object and only receive a small percentage of those photons back via the optics that they use. The reflectivity of an object is based upon the object's color or terrestrial albedo . A white surface will reflect lots of light and a black surface will reflect only a small amount of light. Transparent objects such as glass will only refract the light and give false three dimensional information. (Information taken from wiki)

What is 3d scanning

White Light scanner

 White Light is a fast high resolution system that allows fast capture of of up to 2.5 million points in 1 to 6 seconds! And now with Photogramerty alignment is extremely accurate of scan data.

For more info on the system see 3d3solutions.

We have work very close with 3D3solutions over the past years and even assisted in writing the Flexscan manual.  

We are also the BC Authorized Reseller of their systems!

Laser scanning

Our second system is the revolutionary RevScan from Creaform. This laser system is portable and flexible and allows us to scan at your location with precision 0.002". This system uses reflective targets and can get into places that other scanners can not. It is like spraypainting an object.

For more information see Creaform.