3D Scanner from Next Engine Question 2

[bloodclot]

We are considering purchasing one of these items and I wanted to poll the masses for thoughts on this thing. Anybody using one now, and what do you think of it?

https://www.nextengine.com/indexSecure.htm

Thanks,
Bloodclot

***** Fear not those who argue but those who dodge *****

Dell Precision 670
3.0 Ghz Xeon Processor
Nvidia FX3450
3 gig of RAM
Dual 19" Viewsonics

 

[dgowans]

ctopher,

I went to a demo on the Z Corp scanner yesterday. Quite impressive, I must say, but the $40K it costs would be difficult to justify. The demo consisted of calibrating the scanner, doing the scan and importing into SWX. After about an hour and a half there was a solid model of one of the oversize fist toys (Thing from Fantastic Four, I believe). It's absolutely awesome technology, particularly for a first pass at it.

The Scan to 3D add-in really does automagically generate a model. Granted, it basically plays connect-the-dots with the point cloud data, so you end up with a model with thousands of faces. The add-in even filled in holes in the scan and completed (with one crappy surface patch) the interior area of the part that the scanner couldn't get to.

If you needed Class A type surface data, you'd have a ton of cleanup to do (and you wouldn't be using SWX), but if you just need to design around something you could do that easily. You don't need the Premium module, because the scanner does output STL files, which you can import into SWX and get a tesselated model provided your workstation has the horsepower. The add-in just provides more tools to manipulate the scan data.

 

[ctopher]

Good info, thanks.
you could look into leasing from Z-Corp. I think they have a plan to lease to purchase. if you want to purchase. Sort of like a car. A cheaper way to go if your company wants to try it. Just give it back after the lease.

Chris
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

 

[rfus]

Sure the shoe may look good, and may even be a water tight polygon model, but dgowans is right. Trying to auto surface those polys in the scanto3d will either crash the system or give you junk. Trying to surface that using curve networks and surface patches that fit to the polys would take weeks. The shoe is only a textured polygon network which has no use in solidworks.

NE Nick- try and sell and demonstate your scanner on places other than this forum.

 

[ctopher]

I'm definitely not sold on the scanner, and won't be for a few years. But, what he did looked good.

Chris
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

 

[dgowans]

rfus,

I wouldn't say the polygonized model has no use in SWX, it just depends on what you're attempting to accomplish. If you are trying to reverse engineer a product for the purposes of modifying it and creating something new, you're 99.9999% correct - might as well model it from scratch. Same goes for trying to re-tool an existing part.

If, however, you simply need to design something around an existing part, the polygonized model will get you something a lot quicker than modeling from scratch.

Bottom line, if you need actual toolable/usable/modifiable surface data from a 3D scan, this product won't get you there automatically. Then again, SWX isn't the surfacing tool I'd choose for this either.

 

[ctopher]

I agree that modeling from scratch is always the best way to go. The 3D Scanners are good for rough surfacing a part to work around within SW.

Chris
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

 

[rfus]

I agree there is use for polys in SW. It is even very handy with files that have small polygon counts. I commonly bring in a graphics body of polys, while at the same time convert the verticies to ascii delimited points and use the point import macro. With insert curve through ref points i'm on my way.

The shoe looks good, which means it has a high polygon count or is using graphics card shaders. A high polygon count is very heavy on SW. The scanto3d add-in doesn't do that well either, and trying to surface these polys ends up making you wish you hadn't tried. Good RE packages can recreate things like a shoe to the point where parametric feature based geometry can be easily created from the final product.

There are a lot of people out there who don't understand the difference between polygons and nurbs models. They don't understand how hard it is to go from polys to nurbs. the tessalation of nurbs to polys is happening right in front of your eyes every time you use SW.

I'd rather pair that scanner with Maya, or 3ds for some graphics, or try it with some top of the line RE software. The Next Engine scanner may be a good scanner for the money. The Next Engine Scanner may clean up the points and use Delauney triangulation to make a watertight polymesh....but the Next Engine scanner paired with SW is not a good solution to go from polys to nurbs if thats really what you want to do. An hour on google with the work Reverse Engineering will show you the way.

RFUS

 

[dodoxycyxc]

Hi @ll!

Ok, now my view of point:

- As always, there is the question for what you need the scanner. In our case: We wanna get a 3D-Object from shoes to animate them (in Maya and also as lowres for web-content). So there is no need to convert the Poly to Nurbs. Today the scanner is the best solution for our needs. No need to spend 30k (Konica-Minolta) to scan the products and we also have texture informations.

- In my opinion the Software from Nextengine isn't finished yet. There are several points which where either a "nice to have" or are essential (esp. for trimming). However, this is a young product and so I'm looking forward.

- We also need some shoes as a nurbs modell. There I agree to model them from scratch by hand. This takes three days by one guy and we have a fine model with good patches. We have no experiences with solid works and may I'm wrong.

- support: For us it is very important to get a good support. And I can tell you: The guys from nextengine try their best! Thanks to Nick!!! I asked about some hints and get a tutorial he did for me. We use some Software (with no hardware) which costs a lot more than the scanner (inkl. Software) and have no support like this.

Conclusion: If you wanna scan some items for 3D Animations or web content You can't do wrong with this scanner.


Just the first steps:

F50+

http://www.infinitevision.de/CLIENTuploads/guest/F50_a.jpg

http://www.infinitevision.de/CLIENTuploads/guest/F50.jpg

Michael