An introduction to low-cost 3D scanning. Given at FabFuse 2012 (fabfuse.org)

1. FabFuse 2012:
Low cost 3D scanning
Ramun Berger

2. Agenda
● Introduction
● Overview over some tools
● The workflow (Demo)
● Q&A

3. Disclaimer
1.This presentation is about the experiences I have made
with 3D scanning in the past 6 month.
2.It is meant as an entry point and a kickstart for persons
who want to start 3D scanning without big costs.
3.It doesn't cover the technical details but focusses on the
practical aspects.
4.To get a more in-depth view on the different methods
and techniques, see for instance:
1. http://www.slideshare.net/dlanman/build-your-own-3d-scanner-introduction
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_scanner

4. Agenda
● Introduction
● Overview over some tools
● The workflow (Demo)
● Q&A

5. About me and my company: 89grad
● Living in Berne (Switzerland)
● 1y old daughter
● Professional background:
● Communication Systems at EPFL
● R&D group of Swisscom
● Creation of own startup company in 2010
● Hobbies: Sports, Tinkering, Photography, IT
● 89grad
● Innovation & Prototyping
● (Mini-)FabLab Bern

6. Why would you want to 3D-scan an
object?
● As soon as you have a 3D printer, one of your new
hobbies will consist in collecting (and printing, of
course!) 3D models.
● You can draw the models yourself (any CAD),
program them (e.g. OpenSCAD), download them
(e.g. thingiverse.com) and so on...
● But sometimes, you would simply like to have a
copy of that physical object in front of you.

7. How I got into 3D printing...
● I was playing around with some tools, but nothing
seriously. And dropped the subject.
● A client called to have a toy figure printed out.
● But: He did not really have the 3D model. He
wanted to be the model itself...

8. Agenda
● Introduction
● Overview over some tools
● The workflow (Demo)
● Q&A

9. How does 3D scanning work (basics!)
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/dlanman/build-your-own-3d-scanner-introduction

10. Some of the systems I have tried out...
Tool Can be Advantag Disadvantages Tools W M
i a
L
i
W
e
Link
used for es needed n c n b
u
x
DAVID Small Cheap Rather Line laser, x http://www.david-
Laserscanner objects complicated webcam laserscanner.com/
workflow
Trimensional Portraits Very easy Low quality IPhone 4+ x http://trimensional.com/
to use
Matherix Persons, Free Rather slow, Kinect x http://www.matherix.co
portraits closed beta m/
123D Catch Midsize to Free Good lighting Photo x x http://123dcatch.com/ca
big objects needed camera tch
Reconstruct Midsize to Powerful, Picky wrt Kinect x http://reconstructme.net
Me big objects (free) hardware /
FabScan Small Dedicated Yet another box Line laser, x http://hci.rwth-
objects solution webcam aachen.de/fabscan

11. DAVID Laserscanner
Source: http://www.david-laserscanner.com/

12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEZtiDrxh-E
Source: http://trimensional.com/

13. Source: http://123dcatch.com/catch

14. Source: http://www.matherix.com/

15. Source: http://reconstructme.net/

16. FabScan
Source: http://hci.rwth-aachen.de/fabscan

17. And there are a lot of custom solutions,
based on existing frameworks like e.g.
OpenKinect or OpenFramework.
Source: http://www.notcot.com/archives/2011/04/be-your-own-souvenir-by-blabla.php
http://www.blablablab.org/

18. Agenda
● Introduction
● Overview over some tools
● The workflow (Demo)
● Q&A

19. The 3D scanning workflow is pretty
straightforward.
● Get the model you want to scan.
● Obvious.
● Scan it.
● See two possible ways in a few seconds...
● Clean it up (might take several iterations).
● Might take quite some time, depending on how you created
the model.
● Use it.
● :-)

20. Walk-through of 123D Catch
http://academy.cba.mit.edu/2012/students/menichinelli.massimo/index.html

21. Results of ReconstructMe.net...

22. ...and of course, printed out :-)

23. Many tools can be used to clean-up the
models and further process them...
● MeshLab: Viewing and editing many 3D file formats.
● MeshMixer: Creating 3D Mash-ups
● NetFabb: Cleaning 3D Models
A useful primer on cleaning:
http://vimeo.com/38764290

24. Agenda
● Introduction
● Overview over some tools
● The workflow (Demo)
● Q&A

25. Feel free to contact me anytime!
Ramun Berger
89grad GmbH
Mottastrasse 1
CH-3005 Bern
Switzerland
ramun.berger@89grad.ch
+41 79 597 35 60

26. Perfekt
genug.