Can anyone provide a link to articles on how to "measure" a surface, such that a 3D printed part will fit against that surface? If the surface is irregular, there needs to be a way to measure it, so that the required information can be put in the program for that part.

Are there "scanners" that can do this, creating a "map" of the surface? On this page, http://www.capinc.com/support/tips/s...-part-modeling, there is a section titled "How Can I Measure the Overall Height of an Irregular Surface?" ....but it doesn't say much about how this is being done, just what it does.

For a simple example, let's say I had a more or less cone shaped part, and I want to 3D print a part that will drop down over the cone and fit up against it. By more or less, I mean the part just resembles a cone, it's not a perfect cone shape. How does one measure the cone, to know how to create the matching surface in the 3D printer?

I might have better luck searching, if I knew the proper terms for what I'm looking for - maybe that's why I'm having so much trouble finding the information.