3D Scanning and 3D Printing Industry Guide

3 Unexpected Ways to Use a Full-Body 3D Scanner

When our founders first started building full body 3D scanners, it was certainly with 3D portraiture in mind. But thanks to the hundreds of emails and phone conversations with passionate members of the 3D printing community at large, we’ve discovered several unconventional use cases for the Twindom platform that we are excited to explore and develop further. Find a roundup of our top three unconventional full body 3D scanning use cases below. Another medical application of full body 3D scanning technologies is to gather wellness metrics and measure bodily changes over time. For individuals who are experiencing rapid fat loss…

3D Scanning Technologies: Hybrid Systems

Hybrid Technology Overview: Hybrid 3D scanning systems work by combining photogrammetry and structured light methods. Average Cost: $15,000-$25,000 How it works: Like in a DSLR photogrammetry 3D scanning system, in a hybrid 3D scanning system there are cameras and lights mounted in an array around the subject being scanned. In addition to cameras and lights, there are also projectors that project a pattern on the person being scanned. The cameras in the scanning system take two sets of photographs. The first set of photographs is taken with the projectors turned on while the second photoset is taken with the projectors…

3D Scanning Technologies: Turntable-based systems

Turntable-based Technology overview: Turntable-based 3D scanners rely on the same technology as handheld 3D scanners (structured light), however they typically use less expensive hardware such as a Microsoft Kinect, Primesense, Asus Xtion, or Intel Realsense sensor to calculate depth. Average Cost: $5,000 to $10,000 How it works: Turntable based 3D scanners were created to eliminate the need for a human being to walk around and scan people with a handheld device. The subject steps onto a platform and holds still while the platform rotates and a mounted 3D sensor moves up and down until the entire person is scanned….

3D Scanning Technologies: DSLR Photogrammetry Systems

DSLR Photogrammetry Systems Technology overview: A DSLR 3D scanning rig relies on photogrammetry to create a 3D scan. Photogrammetry works by finding shared features between multiple photographs to calculate depth. It is predominantly used in the visual effects industry. Average Cost: $50,000 to $250,000 How it works: A DSLR photogrammetry system consists of 70 to 150 DSLR cameras and lighting equipment mounted at specific angles around the subject being 3D scanned. The cameras have a special peripheral attachment that can synchronize the captures so all cameras fire within a fraction of a second of each other. These setups rely on…

3D Scanning Technologies: Handheld Scanners

Handheld Scanners Technology overview: Handheld 3D scanners used in 3D photography typically rely on structured light to calculate the geometry of the subject being 3D scanned. They were designed for and have numerous applications in engineering. Average Cost: $400 to $30,000 How it works: 3D scanning someone with a handheld 3D scanner works by having the person stand still as you slowly move the 3D scanner around them to capture the different parts of their body. The process normally takes 2-3 minutes. Once the data has been captured, some manual intervention is necessary to match resulting point clouds, then it…

3DS Max

3D modeling, animation and rendering software built by Autodesk. For more details, see: http://www.autodesk.com/products/3ds-max/ To learn more about 3D scanning and 3D printing using a Twinstant Full-Body 3D Scanner, check out the rest of our industry guide.

3D Scanning

The process of digitizing physical things, or converting real life objects into digital 3D models. There are many different technological approaches to 3D scanning each with its own costs and benefits. Three common 3D scanning technologies are: laser line scanning, structured light scanning and photogrammetry. To learn more about 3D scanning and 3D printing using a Twinstant Full-Body 3D Scanner, check out the rest of our industry guide.

3D Printing

An additive manufacturing process by which objects are built ground up, layer by layer. To learn more about 3D scanning and 3D printing using a Twinstant Full-Body 3D Scanner, check out the rest of our industry guide.

3D Model

Sometimes referred to as simply “model,” a 3D model is the digital file created through the 3D scanning process. A 3D model is made up of geometry (shape) information and texture (color) information. Color information can either be saved with the point cloud or in a separate texture file. 3D Models can be represented in many different formats including: .obj, .ply, .wrl, .stl. Each file format varies slightly from the next, but it is generally a simple process to convert one file format to the next. To learn more about 3D scanning and 3D printing using a Twinstant Full-Body 3D…

3D Preview

Also referred to as “preview model.” A 3D preview is a 3D model processed with a minimum viable amount of data to provide a customer with a 3D model they can “preview” within a few minutes of their scan. Since preview models use less data than full-resolution models, they have significantly degraded quality. 3D previews are necessary because a full-resolution 3D model can take up to 24 hours to process from a raw dataset. To learn more about 3D scanning and 3D printing using a Twinstant Full-Body 3D Scanner, check out the rest of our industry guide.

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