Scanning "transparent" parts

[mike@aravind.org]

Thank you 'awerby' again. I will need to get the engineer, Rajasekar, to review this thread. I'm not sure what you mean by "interior volume". I thought all that was just part of the shape? I'm not sure if this is something they need, but since I don't yet know what "this" is, it may well be something they do need, which I don't yet understand.

Thanks for the info about using white paint. I didn't realize that the color would make a difference. If I understand you correctly, it would be best to color our parts white before scanning?

Would a scanner cover a range such as 1" to 6" in measurements, or would a smaller scanner be better for small parts?

[awerby]

Thank you 'awerby' again. I will need to get the engineer, Rajasekar, to review this thread. I'm not sure what you mean by "interior volume". I thought all that was just part of the shape? I'm not sure if this is something they need, but since I don't yet know what "this" is, it may well be something they do need, which I don't yet understand.

[That looked like a hollow part. The interior volume is the part that's inside; an optical scanner won't pick it up, because they only capture data that's in their line of sight. If the configuration of the interior isn't critical, you can approximate it by specifying a wall thickness when you shell the scanned model, but if it is then you'd need to model it separately and subtract it from the exterior solid.]

Thanks for the info about using white paint. I didn't realize that the color would make a difference. If I understand you correctly, it would be best to color our parts white before scanning?

[Usually that's recommended, particularly if they're clear, black, and/or shiny, all of which can confuse a scanner.]

Would a scanner cover a range such as 1" to 6" in measurements, or would a smaller scanner be better for small parts?

[It really depends on the particular scanner. There's no absolute relationship between the size of a random scanner and the size of the objects it will scan. There are relatively small scanners that can capture a whole room, and some large ones that are intended for small objects.]

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com