3D Scanner Blog

Bringing Prototypes to Life with a 3D Laser Scanner

Prototyping is a critical step in manufacturing. Accurate prototypes are used to prove out concept designs, validate research, and to help stakeholders visualize and buy in to new product innovations.

To properly develop their innovations, manufacturers need to model and accurately represent the prototype’s shape in their 3D modeling software. 3D laser scanning is particularly effective at capturing even the most complex physical shape and representing it digitally.

Unlike traditional methods (like calipers or coordinate measuring machines) that rely on the capture of a few
points, non-contact 3D laser scanners captures millions of data points to represent the true geometry of a physical object. 

The 3D scanner captures the complete surface of the part and represents this in a dense “point cloud” of millions of points. This data can be manipulated and brought into CAD for editing, archival or analysis, or into CAM software for reproduction.  Using specialized 3D scanner software, the point cloud can also be compared directly to the prototype’s existing 3D CAD model, in order to optimize the design and manufacturing process.

3D scanning also allows you to:

• Update CAD models of your prototype as it evolves
• Reverse engineer a hand-developed prototype into a CAD model
• Evaluate competing method of manufacturing the final production part

As a mature technology (at ShapeGrabber, we’ve been pioneering industrial 3D scanners for 20 years), 3D laser scanning is popular for prototyping projects because:

• It’s fast. Lasers can capture millions of data points in minutes. The complete surface geometry of an entire part can be captured quickly to close the design loop and allow you to bring the physical world to the digital world. 
• It handles complex shapes. Curves and multiple features aren’t a problem for industrial 3D laser scanners. They easily scan the complex surface dimensions of parts and tools that would otherwise be too time-consuming, costly or simply impossible to measure.
• It’s easy. You don’t need to write a computer program before scanning a part.

Retrofitting your CMMs with a 3D Laser Scanhead: Is it Worth it?

Do you want to take advantage of 3D scanning to speed up your dimensional measurements? If you already own a traditional Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), you may have heard that you can retrofit it to convert it into a 3D scanner. 

While this kind of CMM retrofit seems appealing, there are several items to consider before going ahead with such a project: 

• Only one function is available at a time: When a CMM is retrofitted with a 3D scanhead, it can be used as a 3D scanner but it can no longer be used as a touch probe device while in scan mode. Switching from touch probe to 3D scanner mode can also be time consuming and usually requires a calibration step before new measurements can be made. This limits the potential efficiency gains of adding 3D scanning capability.
• CMMs were not designed to be converted to a 3D scanner: A CMM that integrates CMM motion software, 3D scanner data acquisition software, and analysis software is not as easy to use as a 3D scanner designed from the ground up. Indeed, some of the benefits for 3D scanning are lost when the scan path needs to be painstakingly programmed using the CMM motion software which was designed for touch probing.

Standalone 3D Scanners Complement CMMs

Most manufacturers will find that it is more efficient to supplement their existing CMM with an additional standalone 3D laser scanner.  3D scanners give users the ability to choose the right inspection tool for the job, and to gradually transition existing inspection projects from the CMM to the 3D scanner.  A 3D scanner offers a net gain of total inspection capacity from the start.

Automated 3D laser scanners, like those offered by ShapeGrabber, are purpose-built for laser scanning and will complement your existing CMM. Our 3D scanners are designed to handle the compound curves and other complex shapes that are precisely the type of features CMMs struggle with. If you are considering a CMM retrofit and have questions about the benefits of a standalone 3D scanner, contact us!

First Article Inspection with a 3D Scanner

Performing a thorough First Article Inspection (FAI) on new production parts is the norm across most industries, but the methods and tools used for FAI vary greatly.  Recently, manufacturers have adopted 3D scanners as their main tool for FAI.

Unlike traditional measurement equipment that relies on the capture of a few individual points in succession, a non-contact 3D laser scanner captures millions of data points and represents the true geometry of the component.  Automated 3D scanners can take measurements within a matter of minutes and require little or no human involvement, freeing the operator to perform other tasks.

Using an Automated 3D Scanner for First Article Inspection

Automated 3D Laser scanners such as ShapeGrabber Ai scanners are ideal for First Article Inspection for the following reasons:

• They are fast: Accurate measurements can be obtained in a few minutes.
• They are thorough: The complete surface geometry fo the part is captured, not just a few pre-determined points.   This data can be used for spec by spec dimensioning, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) measurements and global direct to CAD comparisons.
• They handle complex parts: Compound Curves and complex shapes aren’t a problem.
• They are automated: Parts are measured in a repeatable way, with little or no operator involvement.  Results are consistent and reports are automatically generated.

If you’re looking to speed First Article Inspection for your complex-shaped parts, contact ShapeGrabber to learn how an automated 3D scanner can improve the efficiency of your quality inspection program.

 

 

Part Replication with Laser Scanning

At some point, most manufacturers will need to replicate a part for which there is no original CAD file. Perhaps it’s a tool nearing the end of its life, a legacy part that was designed in the pre-CAD days, or a component that was modified after the CAD model was created.

3D laser scanning offers a fast and accurate way to create a complete digital 3D model of even the most complex part to aid in modeling and replication. Unlike calipers, gauges, or coordinate measuring machines that rely on the capture of a few pre-determined points, non-contact 3D laser scanners capture millions of data points to represent the true geometry of an existing component.

A 3D scanner captures a dense “point cloud” that represents the complete surface area of the part. This data can be sent directly to CAD software to be measured, manipulated and replicated. With a complete 3D model of the part or object, you can:

• Obtain CAD models of legacy parts or tools reaching end of life
• Develop new or better-performing replacement products based on the physical properties or shape of the existing part
• Update CAD models of your part, model, tool or die to match post-prototype modifications

3D laser scanning is a mature technology that is especially useful in replication projects because:

• It saves time & money. A 3D scanner saves hours or days of inspection/measurement tasks and results in better-performing replacement parts that reduce manufacturing errors and their associated costs.
• It handles complex shapes. Laser scanners easily scan the complex surface dimensions of parts and tools that would otherwise be too time-consuming, costly or simply impossible to measure. Curves and multiple features aren’t a problem!
• It’s easy. You don’t need to write a computer program before scanning a part.
• It’s proven. At ShapeGrabber, we’ve been pioneering industrial 3D scanners for 17 years!

To learn more, we recommend these resources:

• How 3D Laser Scanners Work: A Step-by-Step Process Read >>

Video: 3D Scanning Demonstration View >>

Enhance Injection Mold Tryouts with a 3D Scanner

Injection-mold tryouts provide mold makers with an important means of testing and documenting the quality of their products for customers. Tryouts are used to prove out the mold and repair any defects before it is shipped to customers.

An automated 3D scanner such as an industrial-grade laser scanner from ShapeGrabber is a valuable addition to the tryout process, specifically to characterise the complete shape of the mold.  This provides proof that the mold meets the requirements. It also significantly speeds up the  troubleshooting process when mold defects are identified. Our 3D scanners make this process fast and simple by qualifying the parts produced during tryouts.

Quickly Verify Molds

One method used to verify a mold is to measure the mold and ensure that it conforms to the designed dimensions. This can be time consuming with molds that are very large and heavy. Most molds also do not have dimensional specs; rather, their design dimensions are derived from the specifications of the parts they are designed to mold.

ShapeGrabber industrial 3D scanners are used by many mold makers to verify molds—and to troubleshoot mold defects—by performing fast and accurate, detailed inspections of the molded parts. In just a few minutes, the scanner collects millions of data points, measuring the complete part both quickly and accurately. The large density of data makes it possible to compare the measured part directly to the part’s CAD model and readily see variances between the two.

It is also fast and easy to verify molds using a variety of materials. By comparing the 3D scans to each other as well as to the part’s CAD model, mold makers can readily see how different materials behave in the same mold.

Troubleshoot Mold Defects

Tolerances can be set in the CAD software, so that when the 3D scan data is compared to the CAD model, it is immediately apparent if the mold is producing parts within spec, and if not, where the problems exist.

A ShapeGrabber 3D scanner provides very dense “point cloud” of data that represents the entire surface of the molded part. Thus, any mold defect will be immediately visible to the operator, whereas traditional measurement methods focus only a few selected points, and are time-consuming to measure.

Improve Molding Processes

The high data density that a ShapeGrabber 3D scanner provides, coupled with the visual nature of the data analysis, helps to pinpoint the cause of any deviations and make issues with molds obvious. The data analysis may also suggest a different cause of the problems other than the mold – such as problems with raw materials or a flaw in the molding process.

This approach can also be used to validate or improve molding processes – for example, to determine how long a part needs to cool before it is dimensionally stable enough for testing, assembly, or shipping.

Please contact ShapeGrabber to discuss how an automated 3D scanner can enhance your injection mold tryouts and simulations.

For additional information, we recommend these resources:

•  How 3D Scanning Works – online tutorial Read >>
•  Introduction to 3D Scanning video Watch >>