Earlier this week, Thor3D unveiled their newest wireless product that can scan anything. The new 3D scanner, called “Drake“, has interchangeable lenses, making it a very versatile scanner. It can basically scan anything of any size, from jewelry to oil pipes.
Thor3D, a company based in Moscow, Russia, had a vision of a single tool being able to be used in different university departments. They wanted to give users a single tool that could easily scan any object of any size. Imagine giving this scanner to a museum; it would give them the ability to digitize their entire collection.
Drake
Drake is a wireless, hand-held, white light 3D scanner with three interchangeable sets of lenses. Each lens set has a different Field of View (FoV), and is used to scan objects of different sizes. Using a car as a point of reference, the lenses are:
- “Maxi” is designed for large scale objects such as cars
- “Midi” is made with medium sized objects in mind, like the dashboard of a car
- “Mini” is meant for smaller items, like the gear shift of a car
The lenses never have to be calibrated, which will save a lot of hassle, and can be switched out easily, much like lenses on a DSLR camera.
The completely wireless scanner has a built in computer, a 7-inch touch screen and a battery. The 3D data that is captured by the scanner is compiled in real time by Drake. It can then be transferred to PC by wifi (or USB), for final touches. Drake also comes packaged with Thor3D’s desktop editing software, as well as the embedded scanning program (Thor3D Suite).
One thing that sets Drake apart is the additional projector: traditionally scanners will have one, but Drake has two. This means that the device is able to capture aspects of objects that would have presented a challenge in the past, such as sharp edges and thin plastic walls. Depending on which set of lenses you use, the maximum accuracy of your data will be between 40 and 200 microns; the maximum resolution will be between 0.15mm and 1.00mm.
Thor3D will start shipping out the scanners in November 2016. The lenses will be sold as separate items however, potentially making it more cost effective for those only needing one lens set. You can pre-order from their website.
