3D scanning
3D scanning is the process of making a 3D file from a statue, model, or building.
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Structured-light scanning
Structured-light scanning is making a 3D file of an object just using a camera or a camcorder with either 1) a projected grid from a video projector or 2) a projected line(s) from low power laser light source (generally, a laser-pointer or similar). It should be born in mind that 3D scanning produces clouds of discrete points, not contiguous surfaces. A scanned primitive shape like a cube or a sphere is not recognised by CAD programs, and point cloud processing software is often the most expensive component of commercial systems.
DIY
SplineScan is free and open source software. It has reached a high level of polish and sophistication. The website and documentation does not yet reflect this. See also the RepRap local documentation stub SplineScan.
David Laserscanner is closed source but there is a *free* basic scanning software version, and a commercial edition that costs €199, for which you get additional tools for assembling and combining multiple scans of the same object into a watertight model, and for applying textures. David requires a 3-plane "corner" with calibration targets, a laser line generator, red or green, and a web cam or a video recording of the line being swept over the target in the "corner". There's also a "for sale" starter kit. The kit costs €400 and you need a Windows computer. You get a suitable camera and laser line, and the panels to build and calibrate the "corner". They've spent a lot of time on their website, and there's good feedback and advice from users and the vendors through good forums, and many real-world user examples. If you already have a laser line generator, and a web or video camera, and three 600mm x 600mm sheets of MDF or similar, you can build a David scanner and be operating it within a couple of hours. Scan output is .obj, and if you're using the free version, Meshlab can assemble and stitch multiple scans into one object.
Commercial
There are probably a number of expensive solutions for doing this, based on good software, a camera, and a laser pointer. And good marketing.
Photogrammetry scanning
This is making a 3D file of an object just using a camera, or a camcorder, even without a laser-pointer-like light source.
Technically this is called 'photogrammetry' or more precisely 'object reconstruction'. The following is a list of free programs, but the full list is available from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photogrammetry
| Platform | Standalone / Plugin | Automatic modelling | Scalability | Data source | Inception | Vendor / creator | Price / Software License | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123D Catch (Beta) | Web-based | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images/Video | 2011 | Autodesk | Free download |
| 3D pup-up | Unknown | Standalone | No | No, single image only | Image | 2005 | Carnegie Mellon University | non commercial |
| 3D VIA | Unknown | Standalone | No | Yes | Images | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Ames Stereo Pipeline | Linux/OS X | Standalone | Yes | No, 2 images only | Images | Unknown | NASA | free |
| ARC3D | Web-based | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2005 | KU Leuven | free |
| Bundler | ? | Standalone | ? | Yes, multiple images | Images (from the internet) | Completed? | University of Washington | Free / GPL |
| Correlator3D | Microsoft Windows | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2003 | SimActive Inc. | Unknown |
| Enwaii | Microsoft Windows/Linux/OS X | Standalone/Plugin (Maya) | No | Yes, multiple images | Images/Video/LIDAR | 2008 | Banzai Pipeline Ltd | Unknown |
| Harvester | TBD | Standalone | TBD | Yes, multiple images | Images | Incomplete | User:Midge | Free |
| Hypr3D | Web-based | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images/Video | 2010 | Viztu Technologies | free |
| ImageModeler | Unknown | Standalone | No | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2009 | Autodesk | Subscription benefit |
| Insight 3D | Windows / Linux | Standalone | Yes? | Yes, multiple images | Images | Incomplete | Lukas Mach | Free / AGPL 3 |
| libmv | Matchmoving backend for Blender | Blender backend | Yes | Yes | Images/Video | Incomplete | community effort | free, MIT License |
| Match Photo | Plugin for Google SketchUp | Plugin/feature (SketchUp) | No | Yes, multiple images | Images | Unknown | Trimble Navigation | Unknown |
| Mementify | iOS | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2012 | Tretja dimenzija, XLAB | free |
| My3DScanner | Web-based | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2010? | My3DScanner | free |
| Photosynth | Windows or web-based | Standalone | No modeling at all | No | Images | 2008 | Microsoft Live Labs | Free, Proprietary |
| PHOV | Web-based | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2010 | XLAB | free |
| Pix4UAV | Microsoft Windows & Web-based | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2011 | Pix4D SA | Unknown |
| Python Photogrammetry Toolbox | Microsoft Windows/Linux/OS X | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | Unknown | Arc-Team | free |
| SMART3DCAPTURE | Unknown | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2011 | ACUTE3D | Unknown |
| StereoScan | Unknown | Standalone | Yes | No, 2 images only | Images | 2010 | Agisoft | free |
| Trimble Business Center | Microsoft Windows | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2012 | Trimble NV | Unknown |
| uSMART | Microsoft Windows | Plugin (Bentley MicroStation) | Yes | Yes | Images | 2000 | uSMART | Unknown |
| VisualSFM | Microsoft Windows/Linux/OS X | Standalone | Yes | Yes, multiple images | Images | Unknown | Changchang Wu | free |
| WebDLT | Unknown | Standalone | No | Yes, multiple images | Images | 2012 | B. Molnar, BME FMT | free |
Touch-probe scanning
- Main page: CMM
- "Robot Arm Type": here a human guides a 'finger' of a device that looks like a robot arm over a model or sculpture. This deals well with overhangs and precise geometries like boreholes or outer diameters.
- "Generic Touch Probe": we can mount a touch probe toolhead on a 2+1 axis machine like a CNC router, mill, or RepRap. This is convenient if we don't have a robot arm handy.
Further reading
See also David_Project.
- "Beagle Board Challenge: Beagle Scan" uses structured-light scanning.
