My goal this week was to try out all the 3D scanners available in the shop. I first used the Minolta scanner. It works better with flat white objects. In the spirit of Halloween, and because it was the only flat white object I could find, I chose to scan a skull (thanks LCW). Oddly enough it was a 3D printed object. It worked great. I scanned and repaired the mesh without any problems.
I then wanted to move on to something more challenging. Black shiny objects do not scan well. I wanted to scan my camera, which was all black and shiny. I first attempted to use the 3D digitizer. The digitizer linked to Rhino and I even was able to create some digital reference points. I could not quite get the calibration working well enough to create an accurate 3D model though. I eventually switched over to the NextEngine 3D scanner. I knew it would have problems with the color and reflectivity of the camera so I wrapped it in paper towels and tape so that I could get an abstract scan. I was amazed at the detail of the scan, you could tell it was a camera but also that it was wrapped in a paper towel. Folds, tears and even taped areas were all readable in the digital model.
For the 3D printing exercise, I wanted to take advantage of printing movable parts as one object. I was careful to model a propeller that some what resembled a wind turbine. I wanted to make it as small as possible to test the limits of the 3D printer. I was a little to tight on my tolerances between the propeller and the axle because once it was printed the propeller would not turn. I tried my best to get as much of the wax out but I did not want to force it to turn and risk breaking it completely.