This is probably the coolest thing I have seen in a while.
I searched…
https://www.nextengine.com/indexSecure.htm click on the demo video above the picture of the unit.
WOW! That’s dirt cheap! I wonder what kinda tolerances the measurements hold… hell, for that price if it was +/-.010 or .005 it’d be awesome.
I’ve used 3D scanners before, but they’re uber $$$$.
I’m not sure but didn’t it say something like 50,000 points a second. I imagine the tolerances are tight.
That’s sweet, I was expecting it to be a lot more $$ too.
In macro mode, 0.005 inch accuracy with a maximum of 400 points per inch
In my experience 3D scanners are far more interesting in theory than in application.
This is clearly a small part tool. (5"x3" FOV)
Point clouds are more annoying to me than creating the proper model. I’d rather use a CMM for measuring and create it from scratch. But that’s just me.
I can see your logic and agree 100%.
I think the idea of this is cool and can only see the technology getting better as time goes by.
Some of the demos are pretty cool, like the FXX model to CNC model…
seems spot on after the software cleans it up a bit
You ever use a 3D Laser scanner for inspection?
I’ve sent parts out before to specialty places to have measured and it’s pretty crazy the information you can get from it. All parts that couldn’t be measured easially even with a programmable CMM (Mainly 3D surface profile stuff for optics and aircraft exteriors).
^LOL You beat me to it!
I think this type of technology will replace CMM machines that require physical touch points.(If it hasn’t already. lol)
This would have saved a bunch of time on the Hello Kitty project too. lol
The only issue that I ran into it is with optics… they actually have to coat the part in something because they can’t laser measure a transparent part, at least none of the places I contacted.
Plus the time to inspect is reduced DRAMATICALLY with an optical/laser system. You can scan and do a model-based inspection in a matter of seconds instead of hours for a complex part.
The link posted looks awesome for the DIYer or someone doing basic stuff where the tolerances aren’t that high. Especially for that price.
Yes. We use optical systems for part inspections on a daily basis.
This has been coming for a long time. But I’ve used several of these systems over the past 5-10 years and have yet to see anything that I felt like it was going to make my life that much easier.
Can it translate in to quick copy-cat parts? Yes. Is it a practical way of designing something? Not really, but thats not what its for.
I’m sure in the next 5 years the technology will be leaps and bounds beyond where it is now.
To this point to me in the applications I’ve seen (which clearly aren’t everything) is that it is more of a neat toy, that really isn’t helping all that much.
:lol: @ hellokitty
I would think that eventually, they would end up being a bit less expensive than traditional CMMs too…
Their site has these specs:
Macro mode - 0.005" accuracy
Wide mode - 0.015" accuracy
Yeah it wouldn’t be that great if you were trying to hold to a tolerance less than .005" 
I think I have said it on here in the past, the technology is out there to do just about anything if you are willing to pay.
And, every technology seems to get uber cheap eventually.
I would imagine if GE (or any company with really deep pockets) wanted one that could measure .00005 someone would make one. lol
THERE
Oops. Thanks. I know the difference.