# 3D scanner for making replica parts.
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [February 16, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341 "2010-02-16T06:50:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/1 "2010-02-16T06:50:45Z")
This is probably the coolest thing I have seen in a while.
I searched…
[https://www.nextengine.com/indexSecure.htm](https://www.nextengine.com/indexSecure.htm) click on the demo video above the picture of the unit.
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### Author:  [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/2 "2010-02-16T07:28:12Z")
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 $$$$.
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### Author:  [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 7:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/3 "2010-02-16T07:36:17Z")
> [@97FormulaWS-6](#):
>
> WOW! That’s dirt cheap! I wonder what kinda tolerances the measurements hold… hell, for that price if it was +/-.010 or .005 it’d be awesome.
>
> I’ve used 3D scanners before, but they’re uber $$$$.
I’m not sure but didn’t it say something like 50,000 points a second. I imagine the tolerances are tight.
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### Author:  [@glitch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/glitch)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 7:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/4 "2010-02-16T07:42:28Z")
That’s sweet, I was expecting it to be a lot more $$ too.
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### Author:  [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 7:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/5 "2010-02-16T07:54:32Z")
> 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.
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### Author:  [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 8:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/6 "2010-02-16T08:04:29Z")
> [@walter](#):
>
> 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.
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### Author:  [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 9:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/7 "2010-02-16T09:35:33Z")
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
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### Author:  [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 9:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/8 "2010-02-16T09:48:08Z")
> [@walter](#):
>
> 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.
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).
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### Author:  [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 9:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/9 "2010-02-16T09:52:50Z")
^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
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### Author:  [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 10:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/10 "2010-02-16T10:25:41Z")
> [@Blue Eyed Devil](#):
>
> ^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.
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### Author:  [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 10:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/11 "2010-02-16T10:32:43Z")
> [@97FormulaWS-6](#):
>
> 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).
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.
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### Author:  [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 10:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/12 "2010-02-16T10:34:06Z")
> [@Blue Eyed Devil](#):
>
> ^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
:lol: @ hellokitty
I would think that eventually, they would end up being a bit less expensive than traditional CMMs too…
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### Author:  [@brent\_strong](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/brent_strong)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 10:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/13 "2010-02-16T10:44:42Z")
> [@97FormulaWS-6](#):
>
> 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 $$$$.
Their site has these specs:
Macro mode - 0.005" accuracy
Wide mode - 0.015" accuracy
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### Author:  [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 11:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/14 "2010-02-16T11:39:49Z")
Yeah it wouldn’t be that great if you were trying to hold to a tolerance less than .005" 😕
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### Author:  [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 11:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/15 "2010-02-16T11:50:47Z")
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
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### Author:  [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 11:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/16 "2010-02-16T11:57:04Z")
> [@Blue Eyed Devil](#):
>
> I think I have said it on here in the past, the technology is out their 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
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### Author:  [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanner-for-making-replica-parts/79341/17 "2010-02-16T12:01:54Z")
Oops. Thanks. I know the difference.