3D Digital and 3D-Shape developed a complete scanner/software solution. 3D Digital as a laser scanner manufacturer and 3D-Shape as a reverse engineering software manufacturer are appropriate partners to give the customer a competitive edge. They both integrated their specific knowledge and flexibility into the project.

In the corporate development both partners designed a system where the scanned data is directly transferred from the laser scanner (3D Digital Corp) to the viewing software 3DViewer (3D-Shape). The scanner functions as an integrated plugin of the viewing software.

After scanning the object the data is processed with the software SLIM 3D a totally automatic processing to the final model is guaranteed. The close cooperation of sensor and software developer ensures that all information acquired by the scanners is evaluated. Thus, the resulting 3d models are much more accurate than those generated by software that was developed independently from the hardware. In addition to this the data processing is optimised to its highest possible standard due to the high quality scanner as well as to the individually optimised software.

For the two companies this means not only to furnish a seamless solution for the customer - which is not yet provided by others -, but also to realize that this kind of synergy effect could be a model for further cooperation ¨C especially focussing the international markets. While 3D Digital Corp is well enclosed in the American Market, 3D-Shape furnishes further access to Europe - and vice versa.

In addition to its convenient user interface, SLIM 3D offers the possibility to run the processing steps almost entirely automatically via Visual Basic? Script. Interactive control is only required for adjusting the parameters if a new class of objects is used. Moreover, SLIM 3D is fully controllable by DCOM function calls and thus seamlessly integrable into other programs. The user may adapt the parameters to his application.

As Shown above SLIM 3D makes it possible to create a complete high-precision model from a set of different single 3D views. This process is made up of three processing steps:

1. Registration

- Coarse Alignment

- Error Minimization in Pairs

- Global Error Minimization

2. Mesh reconstruction

- Triangulation

- Filtering

- Thinning

- Subdivision

- Completion

3. Visualization

- 3D Display

- Data Analysis

- Mesh Editing

There are four features in 3DViewer:

Data Exchange:
- Import and export of range images from structured point clouds using
  data formats of extern 3D sensor manufacturers
- Import and export of range images from unstructured point clouds by
  reconstruction of the sampling matrix
- Import and export of triangle meshes using common mesh formats like
  3DS, OBJ, STL, PLY, VRML, etc.

3D Display
- Optionally display hidden lines
- Optional thinning for faster display
- Optionally display vertex or triangle indices or vertex normals
- Automatic display rotation for demonstration purposes
- Define material properties such as color, specular and diffuse reflection,
  shininess etc.
- Display modes: points, horizontal lines, vertical lines, crossed lines,
  flat shading, smooth (Gouraud) shading
- Place light sources

Data Analysis
- Set cutting planes for cross-section profiles
- Height-coded false color display (rainbow)
- Optional mesh coloring with colored vertices, texture bitmaps or
  curvature-coded colors
- Calculate data point distances

3DViewer supports evaluation of 3D datasets using various color analysis options or cross-section profiles.

Cross-sections are either created interactively or by specifying the plane equation.

Mesh Editing
- Insert/delete triangles or vertices (data points)
- Scale, translate and rotate individual objects

3D Digital Corp produces a complete solution to the customer; meaning the process of manufacturing the scanner, having full software for data processing, and finally producing the finished model. The company also provides customized software for the customers.

Slim has been customized for 3D Digital's high accuracy scanners. The reason the company decided to choose slim is due to the fact of methodology. Comparing Slim software to the market, it is more accurate in processing (such as alignment, registration, and overall processing) and it is faster. 3D Digital Corp also has the ability to modify and enhance the software at any time, giving us more control to amend the customer's demands.