HandySCAN: The Ultimate Handheld 3D Scanner
For companies looking to use 3D scanners for industrial and professional applications, choosing a high-end 3D scanner over a low-cost scanner is by far the better decision, despite the disparity in price. Selecting the more affordable option for professional applications often hold some consequences that can actually end up costing more in the long run. Many engineers and designers have already experienced the disappointment of choosing low-cost scanners to perform the work of a high-end scanner.
So What’s the Big Deal?
In order to achieve adamant results, engineers and designers need a 3D scanner that can provide results of the utmost accuracy. Many times, parts can be discarded rather than approved based off just 0.01 mm. In addition to this, they also need to maintain high resolution in order to keep good positioning during the process. Having the positioning, alignment or integration is off is essentially equivalent to taking a picture in an unstable setting – the results will be blurred.
High-end 3D scanners 3D data result vs. low-end-scanner result
Accuracy and resolution aren’t just the only parameters by which industrial 3D scanners are characterized either. Speed is another major factor as 3D scanning is expected to dramatically cut measurement times while boosting data acquisition and transfer rates. 3D scanners must also be versatile in order to be capable of scanning a plethora of different parts – regardless of characteristics such as their color, shape, size or material. And perhaps the most important feature of 3D scanning devices is their ease of use which permits users’ work qualities and results.
Ignoring these parameters and electing to go the cheaper route often flaws the results – producing inaccurate, poor scans and collecting the wrong data in many cases. This not only jeopardizes projects, but also jobs of the employees themselves.
So What Is a “Metrology-grade” 3D Scanner?
MetraSCAN: Accurate Portable Scanning for Metrology Applications
Metrology-grade 3D scanners are intended to aide engineers and designers in their professional responsibilities, whereas low-cost 3D scanners are intended for non-industrial/non-professional applications – specifically when high accuracy doesn’t necessarily matter. Affordable 3D scanners are very useful for personal use and unambiguous, day-to-day experiences. High-end 3D scanners are designed to provide professionals extremely accurate results of the utmost quality.
High-end 3D scanners often feature unique software to enable data acquisition and a calibration procedure to ensure measurement accuracy. Low-cost 3D scanners are typically just packaged up with just the hardware. Moreover, the companies manufacturing the high-end, professional grade 3D scanners are constantly advancing their software performances and offer updates to users.
So How Do I Choose a Scanner?
Those using 3D scanning for professional applications must demand more out of their scanners than consumer quality products are capable of achieving. When it comes to 3D scanning equipment, its simple – you get what you pay for. Do-It-Yourself (DIY) 3D scanners are simply never going to produce metrology-grade 3D scanning results – the efficiency just isn’t there. In the white paper, Five reasons behind the price of industrial portable 3D scanners, industry-leading, professional 3D scanner manufacturer, Creaform, explains these topics more in depth, comparing low-cost and high-cost 3D scanners. These whitepaper demystifies which applications are a better fit for one type of sensor rather than the other. Check Out All of Our Professional 3D Scanners