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3D Scanner from Next Engine Question 2

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bloodclot

bloodclot

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Jan 5, 2006
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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?


Thanks,
Bloodclot

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

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I saw a cool demo at the Phoenix SW 2007 launch yesterday. Quite impressive.

With any scanner of this sort, you'll need to consider the disadvantages. For instance, if you want to scan something like an action figure, I think you'll have difficulties--since the scanner cannot see the under/back side of an arm or leg. Since that's true, it will also be true for similar geometry where some part of the object obscures or covers another part. Perhaps by stitching together several scans from several views this can be overcome--something to ask them about. (See if you can get a scan of a Star Wars action figure or something.)

Jeff Mowry
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.
 
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Our company recently got one.

It took us a while before we got it to work properly. We are still trying to master it (or at least use it ''fluently'').

I think it might take us a long time before we scan something as easily as the guy does in the demo video.

(But we can't exclude the possibility that we suck! [ponder])
 
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I saw the demonstration and was utterly unimpressed, they used a cube as an example. You have a 3-d scanner, and you use a f-ing cube as an example? Anyway, I walked away with the impression that they are using this TOY, as a marketing ploy to get more people to buy OFFICE PREMIUM.

A JOKE. Nice try Solidworks.
 
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While I agree that is was stupid of them to use a cube, I have to say that after watching the demo & seeing the gallery at the above link, "TOY" & "JOKE" were definitely NOT the descriptions that came to my mind.

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I saw the demo at the 07 rollout last week. They scanned the top cover from a mouse. It left the edges jagged requiring extra work to fix it.
I would like to see one that would scan all around the part creating an even 3D part.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
 
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I have been using the scanner for a few months now, and it is no joke. After learning the tricks and nuances of the scanner and scan software, scanning a shoe upper is getting to be quick and painless. It takes about an hour to prep, scan and process the data. Then just a few minutes in SW Premium to convert it to a clean surface file. Upgrading to SW Premium adds to the price considerably but its not absolutely necessary (there are alternative software packages to manipulate a mesh) it has however proved to be an impressive add-in.

Matt
 
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Not a gimmick by any means, the NE scanner is absolutely worth its weight in gold. Mesh Wizard and Surface wizard are very fast tools to use to come up with useful surfaces quickly. Even if you dont have the scanner the mesh/surface modules is great for creating good quality surface files from programs that are solely mesh modelers.

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We have just purchased one and using it, so far, is NOTHING like the demo. They skipped allot of the "meat" of getting your part into SW.

First of all, we have all upgraded our workstations to 64bit Windows XP. Well, NextEngine requires 32bit, so I retained one of our older workstations. Unfortunately, I had to then upgrade this older workstation to 2GB RAM and the latest version of USB.

I am paying an additional $3500 for the Office Premium upgrade, so the running tab no this thing is not only the scanner, but the upgrades to the workstation as well as the SW software upgrade.

We are playing with it now, but cannot use the geometry to create machinable parts. For that, we must revert to our microscribe for a timely prototype turn-around.

I'm not dis-satisfied, just telling you all of the hidden little items that may bite you. We are working on getting this up and running, any helpful advice would be appreciated. Also, if you are using it successfully now, I would even be interested in paying anyone a visit to learn up on how it's done right (of course, as long as we're not competitors)

Also, we had to re-install an OLDER version of the NextEngine software because the newset version has bugs. Nice.

 
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Aloha, I've been discussing a particular job with someone at Next Engine who had provided absolutely wonderful information (its rare to find so much help/customer service these days), so naturally I'm thinking about purchasing the scanner. One drawback, I'm a Mac user, oh well. Anyhow, am wondering if I could show any of you who are currently using the scanner, photos of the item and get your advise on: quality, ease, detail, etc. I'd be hugely grateful.
 
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NE may have a good scanner. If the scanner is not quality then garbage in = garbage out. As a long time user of RE software I will tell you its about the software after getting a good scan. Right now SW is making progress towards handling points and polys. But as a parametric featue based MCAD program is does not want to process 10 million points from multiple scans easily (which in RE software takes only three point registration on each scan to align), or work with 15 million polygons once you have cleaned up the noise and triangulated, hole filled, toleranced, and decimated. There is too much overhead with it already being the best at feature based modeling with a supreme UI. I would bring something at the end of the scanning process to SW. Rapid Form Does. It and Geomagic are the Best. Rapid Form XOR is striving to be feature based like SW and SW is striving to be an RE solution. SW will win and it will cost less. SW made a cost effective approach to scanning and it will only get better because they are commited to enhancement.

If you need RE and Inspection and you got 50 for a Minolta Digitizer and $$$ Rapid Form XOR then scan away. (we all don't build turbine buckets looking for crack propagation)

I think the only reason its been called a toy is becuase we haven't been let under the hood completely. Its new and it makes no claims to be a full RE solution, Just a cost effective one for the time being. If I could upgrade and get the Scanto3d I'd probably still use the 3d point import macro, and STL graphics file, seletion filters, and insert curve through reference points.

RFUS
 
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Display Dave, you hit the nail on the head. You shuck out thousands for the scanner and upgrades, and look what you get! Messy files, you shake your fist at, and still, stuck with non machinable geometry. Granted, IT WILL, get better. But at present the scanner and technology is NOT what it's made out to be by any means whatsoever. The ONLY reason this scanner is being incorporated into SW at this time is to sell more seat of Office Premium, period.
 
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@Sneakers (Matt):

Hi Matt!
We also have now the scanner and try to scan a shoe. However, the results are poor (lot of holes).... :(
I think we didn't have a right setup. So may I can ask you, how you did the scans?

mickna
 
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Hi guys,

Michael and I walked through this together, and he's up and running now.

For others interested in scanning shoes, here's the steps we went through
(with pictures from a shoe I scanned).

1. Run a 360 scan with 7+ divisions (position shoe with corner pointing forward)

2. Assemble the 360 scan, by placing 3+ pins on common features

3. Trim gripper + some extra overlap

4. Scan heel and toe using "bracket scans" (assemble + trim like 360 above)

5. Attach heel and toe to rest of the shoe (for shoes, use 5+ pins)

6. Blend (manual trimming of extra overlap will increase quality)

Final result:


Thanks,
Nick
Support Engineer
NextEngine
 
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???
vince,
His work on the model or the software?
Not a nice comment!
I think he did great work. For what the 3D scanner is capable of, I think Nick went beyond that and did a great job.
I give him a star!

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