One of the limitations that 3D printing technology faces, when looking at the process from a mass audience and average home user perspective, is that creating 3D models requires a high level of design skills as well as technical skills to use the 3D modelling tools available today. However, 3D content is a challenge that is being tackled more and may well be resolved in the not too distant future. One company that is all over this issue is 3D Systems.
3D Systems (DDD) recently announced the availability of Go!MODEL, which is a simple yet powerful 3D reverse engineering tool. Go!MODEL was developed in co-operation with Creaform, a portable 3D measurement specialist, who released Go!SCAN 3D portable scanner last year. The integrated Go!MODEL and Go!SCAN package allows users to capture physical objects and create high quality models specifically designed for 3D printing. With Go!Model users can also edit and convert the scans into the needed file format, which is a major advantage.
Go!MODEL, which is powered by 3D Systems’ Rapidform platform, delivers easy-to-use professional mesh editing features with automatic NURBS surfacing utility, specifically tailored to use with Creaform’s Go!Scan 3D. The solution is also said to be offered at an affordable price – that still remains to be seen.
Some of the features of the Go!Model Software include:
- Mesh Optimization : Do more with your scans! Fill holes, smooth, enhance shapes and perfect meshes to use in downstream apps.
- Automated : Use Go!MODEL’s wizards to complete frequently used processing steps with just a few clicks.
- Intelligent : From decimation that reduces file size by half with almost no loss of accuracy to curvature-based hole filling, Go!MODEL is packed with intelligent tools.
- Automatic NURBS Surfacing : 2 clicks are all you need to generate highly accurate NURBS surfaces of anything you scan with the Go!SCAN. Use surfaces in applications like CAD and CAM that cannot handle high definition meshes.
- Powerful : No matter what you scan, Go!MODEL has the tools to turn it into the format and with the properties you need.
According to Daniel Brown, Product Manager at Creaform, “Go!MODEL extends the utility and functionality of VXelements, our proprietary data acquisition software, and helps our Go!SCAN 3D users get more out of their scanned data. Go!MODEL’s mesh optimization and NURBS surfacing capabilities are particularly compelling.”
The project was warmly welcomed at 3D Systems. “We’re very pleased to be able to enhance the functionality and utility of the popular Creaform Go!SCAN 3D portable scanner with Go!MODEL,” said Tom Charron, Senior Director Marketing and Product Management, Rapidform Products, 3D Systems. “Powered by our Rapidform platform, Go!MODEL is affordable and packs an unprecedented user experience with professional-grade data processing and modelling.”
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Via: 3D Systems, Go!SCAN 3D
That’s only affordable for companies, it isn’t for private use (or I am on another planet?). There are some DIY ways of 3D scanning as well, for really cheap and affordable price. For example, if you can build a flash for your camera which looks like a ring and you put it around your camera lens, you only have to make shots while your flash lights the object from different directions. An algorithm can process the b&w images with the shadows and can create the 3D geometry (bump) with the method of photogrammetry. Although I really would like to have this nice 3D scanner, but I think it’s still too expensive, at least not affordable for the average engineer.