Re: [rp-ml] Article in,July Popular Mechanics about,Rapid Prototyping

From: Andrew Werby <awerby_at_computersculpture.com>
Date: Sun Jun 14 2009 - 20:29:20 EEST

Yes; I just got back from training
(in Quebec) on a new generation of
hand-held laser/optical scanners
from Creaform (www.creaform3d.com).
These do a great job of capturing
data from a range of viewpoints,
which makes it much easier to scan
objects with undercuts and other
complexities.

But in order to make functional
mechanical parts from the scans,
you need some reverse-engineering software, which can rebuild the
inherently imprecise scan data as
clean surfaces and solids. As part
of my training this past week, I
got an introduction to GeoMagic
(www.geomagic.com/ ), which is one
of the premier software packages in
this field. I was impressed with
its range of functions and ease of
use. Even if the scan data was
fragmentary (in areas that couldn't
be "seen" by the scanner) one could
bridge over it to recreate a smooth
regular surface.

Of course, for more artistic or
conceptual sorts of projects this
isn't necessary - one can simply
use the original scan data to build
an RP part. But for something like
the bevel gear Yasser mentioned, it
would definitely be the thing to do.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

By the way, if you're interested in new RP technologies for metal
fabrication, here's something I found out about recently:
http://www.microfabrica.com/pages/index.php . These guys are building
miniature mechanical assemblies in a range of metals directly, using
EFAB technology, a cross between LOM and integrated circuit etching
techniques.

Yasser Hosni wrote:
> Friends: Combining 3D scanning
> with RP is not a new idea. What
> is relatively new is the
> advances in both fields that
> made the integration useful and
> easy to be used by
> practitioners. I recall that 12
> years ago we had a project with
> Egypt to reverse enginee (RE)r
> through 3D scanning vital spare
> parts for some Russian machinery
> where the original drawings
> were not available. It took us
> 6 months to RE a bevel gear with
> poor accuracy. Similar
> experience with pump impeller
> was equally poor. At that time
> we used a combination of
> traditional measurements and
> "Cyberware" scanner. Since
> then the industry have advanced
> a long way that enabled free
> hand 3D scanning with high
> precision and at a lower cost.
> The product cycle is shrinking
> with high rate as a result of
> advances in these technologies.
>
> Take care,
>
> YH
>
>
>
> Yasser Hosni, Ph.D., PE.
>
> Fellow IIE, Professor Emeritus
> University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd. Orlando, FL
> 32816 Tel (407)
> 823-5817 Fax (407) 823-3413 E-mail: yhosni@mail.ucf.edu
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi
> [mailto:owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi]
> On Behalf Of Tam Sent: Tuesday,
> June 09, 2009 2:07 PM To: Robert
> Jaquiss Cc: RP-ML Subject: Re:
> [rp-ml] Article in July Popular
> Mechanics about Rapid Prototyping
>
>
> Robert, Wow! The technology has
> come a long way. Anyone else
> using these things? Thanks, Tom
> Richards, Metallurgist
>
> From: Robert Jaquiss
> <mailto:rjaquiss@earthlink.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009
> 11:47 AM To: rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi
> Subject: [rp-ml] Article in
> July Popular Mechanics about
> Rapid Prototyping
>
> Hello:
>
> I just saw an article from the
> July issue of Popular Mechanics featuring Rapid Prototyping. It
> is Jay Leno's column. The link
> is:
> http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/4320759.html
> Have a great day.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robert Jaquiss
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Sun Jun 14 20:21:16 2009

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