[DragonXtreme]

I was wondering if anyone here was using or know someone that is taking laser scan point clouds and turning them into editable 3D surface/solids. I need something more than STL files.

The programs I have looked at include Rapidform XOR, GeoMagic, CopyCad(now part of Powershape) as well as the Reverse Engineering add-on for Rhino. Cost is a major factor on most of these programs so I am looking for a cheaper alternative to bridge the gap.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[dirdim]

Unless you need to do this frequently, don't bother looking for a software solution as they are as you noted quite pricey. Find a 'service bureau' that does this all the time with those softwares and pay only for the once in a while that you need it.

My firm provides these services everyday and we're in our 15th year of doing just this. Happy to help.

[ALoopingIcon]

If you need a good solution for processing 3D scanned data in order to obtain nice clean 3D meshes you should look at MeshLab

http://meshlab.sourceforge.net

it is an open source tool for mesh processing and 3D scanning data management. It includes tools for aligning range maps, merging them, simplifying, cleaning, etc etc..

it is free and available for Win, Mac and linux.

p.

[dirdim]

While MeshLab is open source and a good meshing software, it won't get you to Nurb surfaces, much less feature-based editable ones in a solids CAD package. Only Geomagic and Rapidform have this functionality.

[der_fisherman]

Try Blender 3D, open source, totally free. Very full documentation. Forum and FAQs....In fact everything you need......I would imagine, but being myself a "Newbie", I have not yet needed such a program yet......please test and post your personal findings. Its only a 10MB download, which is good......

You can find it at:-

http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

Let me know what you think as I am also considering using it eventually. Its also available in many languages.....

Best wishes.

[DragonXtreme]

Thanks for the input.

I will look at the software listed as well as take what people have emailed me providing the conversion services into consideration.

Doing this in house will be more cost effective when I can show my client a working scenario though I will look at outsourceing for the short run to fill the void if I can't jump immediately into a working conversion package.

[cadcam]

I have lazer scaned then brought the point info in to Mastercam using a add-on from Verisurf (http://www.verisurf.com/products_reverse.php )I was able to make a mesh and from the same tool change this into a surface model. I was reverse engeneering a product for a company and then needed to be able to change the surface area to change the flow.

[D.L]

'Mesh to surface' is an option in 'rhinocad', but i could not get it to work properly without freezing the PC.

[3DRevEng]

If you need a cheaper alternative we are resellers of Leios Mesh.

It is easy to generate an auto patch surface within minutes...

We also can scan your parts for you and give you Solidworks parametric models if you need that.

Matthew
www.3dreveng.com
3D Scanning and Reverse Engineering services
Vancouver Canada

[an-cadsolutions]

Try VRMesh,

AN-Cadsolutions / VR Mesh

[an-cadsolutions]

Try VRMesh

AN-Cadsolutions / VR Mesh

[awerby]

Getting parametric solids is another. If you really need the latter, Rapidform XOR is the best software I know of for that. It's certainly not cheap, but I sell it for a discount, if that helps.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[an-cadsolutions]

Yes, I follow that. Rapidform is best definetly!!
It's not cheap but it's worth it. It has powerfull tools to work with scanned data. If You work a lot with scanned data this software pays investment back.

I love it and I would like to have it.

I was in June on one university training that software with Roland LPX-600 3D laserscanner.

[fergusda]

O.k, I've tried RapidForm/Polyworks/Geomagic and everything in between. I do this for a living. Every project is different, so no one solution works all the time, but here is my input:

Please keep in mind, scanned surfaces/point clouds and NURBS/CAD surfaces are different. Meshlab is a useful tool for scanned surfaces. There are no free resources for NURBS/CAD surfaces that I have found.

To generate surfaces for machining/CAD:

Free solution 1: Use free Rhino3D trial (25 free saves) to generate NURBS surface patches. You have to trace over the mesh or you can drape a patch (like a cloth) over the surface. You can also buy Rhino outright; it's cheap, powerful, and can do a lot (but not all) scan-to-NURBS translations.

Free solution 2: To create CNC toolpaths straight from scanned meshes, use FreeMill. Easy, free, but limited options.

Purchase option 1: Buy Leios surfacing/patching license. Definitely the most cost effective tool to get to CAD/NURBS surfaces. The Autosurfacing tool is easy, and can generate surfaces for CNC machining without any brainpower.

Purchase option 2: Buy RapidForm. It'l cost you a fortune, but it has the best package for reverse engineering mechanical parts and parametric solids. Basically a good fit for recreating parts, as opposed to statues and carvings.

Or contact me directly, and I can convert for you.

-Dan
Global Inspection Solutions
www.globalinspectionsolutions.com

[vinot]

I agree with Dan. For me, Meshlab is a must have: can work with scanned data with professional results, first step to get a good scanned and workable object.

Then you can go to any cad or design software that can handle scanned data (most of them) and generate nurbs objects (less of them).

Anyway I suggest all you that read this very nice guide-example:
http://www.rhino3d.com/resources/dis...n&listing=1055

wich explains perfectly what we are talking about.

toni

[RnD Precision]

There are many different softwares to choose from. Meshlab is a great option to choose.

Ron
RnD Precision Imaging
Welcome to RnD Precision Imaging, Inc

[Khalid]

Rapidform is the best but with high cost..

[RnD Precision]

Meshlab ....free, open source, capable...

Welcome to RnD Precision Imaging, Inc

[TGSTP]

I'm starting to look around for a company to do some 3d scanning for me. I do custom car parts and some of the ideas coming from my clients are just impossible to create on my cad system. What kind of price range are we looking at to scan a clay model? Can it be converted into an IGES file? I would be using CATIA. This is all new to me

Thanks

[awerby]

from what you've told us here. How big is your clay model? Do you just need a raw scan, or are you trying to regenerate a clean CAD model? The clay itself probably isn't good enough to make a part from, and the scan will not reproduce it perfectly; there's always some loss in translation. An IGES file isn't that hard to produce, but recovering "design intent" takes some expensive software and a skilled operator. Clay models aren't easy to transport either - have you thought about getting a scanner and doing this in-house? I can help with that. It might work better than trying to ship fragile clay models around the country...

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

I'm starting to look around for a company to do some 3d scanning for me. I do custom car parts and some of the ideas coming from my clients are just impossible to create on my cad system. What kind of price range are we looking at to scan a clay model? Can it be converted into an IGES file? I would be using CATIA. This is all new to me

Thanks