3D Laser Scanning Services

• Digitising and Reverse Engineering
Reverse engineering typically involves measuring an object and then reconstructing it as a 3D model. The digital representation of an object can be defined by four output formats.

• Point Cloud Data Aquisiton
The first stage of the reverse engineering process is the data acquisition stage, whereby the Perceptron Laser scanner is waved over the surface of the object to be digitised. The laser produces a dense cloud of points, creating a 3D representation of the physical object.

• Polygonal Model
The cloud of points from the laser can easily be transformed into a more usable format such as a polygonal model. A polygonal model is a triangular faced mesh surface that can be used in downstream CAD applications to create fully robust 3D models or can be sent directly to 3D printing machines and other such rapid prototyping machines.

• Rapid Surface Model
Rapid surfacing is the wrapping of NURBS surfaces over a polygon model. This method is a very quick method of creating a full surface model which can be then typically transferred into a CAD package as a IGES or STEP file.

• Solid Model
A full parametric solid model may also be created from scan data. This is a model that can be defined by specific dimensions and design constraints to define the geometry. The file will typically be made to recreate the design intent of the model, correcting for imperfections in the manufacturing process and restoring it to its original intended size. A parametric solid model is typically used for the re-manufacture of components and can be easily edited in the majority of CAD systems.