Reality Check: 3d Scanners And 3d Scanning Services Become A Staple

By Author: supriyo banerjee
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Digital technology has advanced rapidly in the past decade, and some manufacturers have done an excellent job of keeping up. Innovative devices such as 3D scanners have been created to enable various industries to accomplish in hours or even minutes, what just a few short years ago would have taken days or weeks. 3D scanners, and 3D scanning services, have definitely made their marks on industries looking for an edge in the digital age.

The 3D Scanner — What It Is and Who can Benefit from Using It

3D laser scanning is a high-tech process for creating a digital representation of an existing product or structure. The 3D scanner does this by capturing digital information about the shape of the structure with instruments such as illuminance meters that measure the distance between the scanner and the object. The scanner is versatile and so powerful it can secure data from a very small object such as a writing pen to such tremendous subjects as aircrafts and ships. A number of industries, such as the following, are currently benefiting from its use:

The industrial industry ...
... — for the scanning of tools and dyes, reverse engineering, rapid prototyping, and computer-aided inspections of manufactured parts.
The medical industry — for medical imaging; 3D images can be taken of prosthetics, cancerous tumors, and brain and organ imagery during surgery.
Dental industry — for the scanning of denture and mouth guard design as well as the scanning of cast records.
Fashion industry — Used with pattern-making software to create custom-fit jeans and other clothing.
Entertainment industry — for the creation of 3D movie production and video gaming.
Art industry — for museum archiving and replica reproduction.

Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a 3D Scanner

There are a great variety of 3D scanners available on the market ranging from hand held portables to heavy duty ones. While the capabilities and applications of each scanner are tremendous, it is important to examine several factors to choose a scanner appropriately suited for the application at hand. Consider the following:

Field of view and depth of field — to determine accurate size and range of width of object scanned.
Resolution and accuracy — to capture essence of items scanned dependent on image and usage.
Scanner performance — to meet proper application and requirements of industry.
Purchase of external devices such as illuminance meters, patterning software, etc.

No doubt about it, 3D scanning has tremendously impacted 21st century technology. The 3D scanner is one of the most innovative devices of our century and this is only the beginning.

Loraine D. is a freelance writer for Konica Minolta, Inc. Konica Minolta Sensing Americas, Inc. (KMSA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta Holdings USA, Inc., is recognized as a technological leader in optical test and measurement solutions, industrial color, light, and shape measurement. Visit us online to learn more about 3d scanning, illuminance meters and the purchase of a quality 3D scanner.