# 3D scanning and reverse engineering

**URL:** <https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanning-and-reverse-engineering/262155>\
**Category:** Shift518 Off Topic\
**Created:** [January 5, 2012, 8:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanning-and-reverse-engineering/262155 "2012-01-05T08:15:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 7

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**Author:** ![Mafdark](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mafdark/32/6322_2.png) [@Mafdark](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mafdark)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3d-scanning-and-reverse-engineering/262155/7 "2012-01-05T13:58:16Z")

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> [@These guys use (this) wireless service](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/these-guys-use-this-wireless-service/47719/5):
>
> What system did you buy and what software are you using? Accuracy per scaling?
> 
> I don’t need to tell you that I will use this service of yours. I’ve been paying out the ass to have LDI do the stuff I have done, might as well pay YOU for the work instead.
> 
> Start a website for the service. Call mechanical colleges and universities and source the service to them for their required classes. I still do work for people on rare cars with broken parts to have the original parts scanned(like steering knucles on a lola) and then have them run through FEA and update/machine new parts to make available for the owners. A guy ion Canada does this for the 962’s and makes a killing doing it.
> 
> there is no limitation to this service. Hell even high end running shoe/skate companies that make custom one off bits for thier customers now use laser scanners to duplicate the athletes feet. The only limitation is going to be you.

My current software claims accuracy of .015" of a 2" object. Nextengine can achieve about 3 times that (.005"). I’ll be making some larger scans next week to measure the accuracy of something about 5’.

The difference being that the NextEngine would require 100’s of scans to get anything that large because the farthest back from the object that you can put it is 36". I have the option of doing multiple close-up scans or I can back it up and recalibrate it to be able to get the entire object in the shot sacrificing some accuracy.

I have Solidworks 2009 and Rapidform XOR3 and as soon as I get the money to “update” them I’ll be starting a website and building a legitimate company out of it. Hopefully that will be happening in the very near future. The longer term plan is to pickup the Nextengine within the year if I can prove that companies in the region can use the technology.

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