3D Scanner Information

3D Laser Scanners are high tech devices that have the ability to accurately capture the surface of objects and provide real 3D data back to the user.

3D Scanner Technology

Laser scanning works by the principle of laser triangulation. By making a triangle between the scanner lens, laser, and object being scanned accurate 3D data can be obtained. The distance between the 3D scanner lens and laser (parallax base) is known and with the angle of the laser given by the galvanometer, all information is provided to obtain x, y, z coordinates of the objects surface. The laser is swept across the object by the galvanometer, which rotates a small mirror that reflects the laser. The surface of the object is then focused through the lens and captured by the CCD inside the 3D scanner. A dense point cloud is then produced through our software.

3D imagers are complicated imaging systems and their performance cannot be summed up with a single characteristic. 3D Digital Corp. is one of the few companies that provides a detailed description of the scanner performance and thus allow a user to select a 3D scanner that is ideally suited to their application and to know with high confidence that the scanner will be able to meet their requirements. 3D Scanning is one the most innovative technologies of our century, and is now more affordable and used than ever before.

The performance of the scanner is determined by a large number of factors. We describe the performance in terms of the following properties:

• Coordinate system
• Resolution: the smallest discernible feature on the target. Alternatively, an equivalent definition is the minimum separation between two target features where the two features are distinguishable in the image.
• Accuracy: the standard deviation of the range measurement. This is often referred to as the 'error' in the range measurement.
• Point density: The distance between neighboring range measurement points.
• Depth of field: This describes the range over which the scanner can obtain an accurate image.
• Field of view: This determines how large a target can be imaged in a single scan.

Learn More

Learn more about how the software and hardware for 3D Scanners work together and the types of uses which are possible: