LET'S TALK ABOUT 3D SCANNING

In the ever-evolving world of watersports, efoiling has taken the spotlight with its thrilling combination of surfing and flying above water. Efoil boards, propelled by electric motors, offer an exhilarating experience, and at the heart of their performance lies the efoil wing. However, this industry is young and manufacturers struggle to survive such as FOIL Inc (getfoil.com)  as there is not enough demand out there leaving enthusiasts in a lurch when their favorite wing model is no longer available to purchase and the original designs may be lost. Fortunately, 3D scanning and reverse engineering offer a lifeline for reviving these designs. In this blog post, we'll explore how you can use 3D scanning technology to bring an out-of-production foil wing back to life.

Importance of the Efoil Wing

The efoil wing is crucial for the lift and stability of the board, directly affecting the rider's experience. Each wing model has its unique design that caters to different riding styles, water conditions, and skill levels. When a beloved wing is no longer produced, finding a suitable replacement can be challenging, making reverse engineering an appealing solution.  We have 3D scanned the efoil wing 200 of the FOIL series using the EinScan Pro HD with high accuracy as the initial step to enable full reverse engineering and manufacturing.

Here is the STL file so you can further reverse engineer and manufacture via 3D printing!

PART II: REVERSE ENGINEERING
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1. Import the 3D scan into the reverse engineering software/CAD software of your choice - such as SolidWorks, Fusion360, or Quicksurface. Analyze the model's dimensions, curves, and features. Understanding the wing's design characteristics is crucial for accurate replication.
2. Using the CAD software, recreate the wing's design. This step may involve tweaking the original design to improve performance or adapt it to new materials. Ensure that the redesign maintains the key features that made the original wing perform well.
3. Simulation and Testing: Before moving to production, use simulation tools within the CAD software to test the wing's performance. Simulating the wing's behavior in various conditions can highlight potential issues and areas for improvement.

PART III: MANUFACTURING

Once satisfied with the redesigned model, it's time to manufacture the wing.

1. Material Selection: Choose materials that match or improve upon the original wing's properties. Common materials for efoil wings include carbon fiber, fiberglass, and various composite materials. FOIL was manufactured using forged carbon fiber.
2. Prototyping: Create a prototype using techniques such as CNC machining, 3D printing, or traditional molding. Prototyping allows for physical testing and fine-tuning before full-scale production.
3. Testing: Conduct rigorous tests on the prototype to ensure it meets performance expectations. This might involve real-world testing in various water conditions to validate the wing's lift, stability, and durability.

CONCLUSION
3D scanning and reverse engineering provide a powerful combination for resurrecting discontinued efoil wings. By capturing the precise geometry of a classic wing and using modern tools to refine and replicate its design, enthusiasts can continue to enjoy their favorite efoil experiences. Whether you're an efoil aficionado or a watersports innovator, this technology opens up a world of possibilities for preserving and enhancing the sport. So, don't despair about FOIL Inc going bust, let technology breathe new life into it!

​Growshapes the official U.S. distributor of Shining 3D EinScan 3D scanners. We now carry the eviXscan 3D scanner from Evatronix as well!

​See the innovators on Growshapes’ social media channels to get the latest expert news on innovation in 3D digitization, then share your thoughts and join the conversation about 3D digital innovation with #digitize3D

​Every once in a while, it’s important to revisit the basics to understand how 3D scanners work. In this blog post, we’ll cover the Field of View (FOV) of a 3D scanner and how it affects the 3D scan results. The key takeaway is that different 3D scanners have different FOVs, and choosing the right model is crucial to getting the right output depending on the size of the object you want to 3D scan.

Like how humans can see a certain range (you can't see behind you) at a given moment, different 3D scanners have a different viewable area at one time from a specific distance. The larger the FOV, the larger area the 3D scanner can 'see' thus capture at once.  With the EinScan 3D scammer models, there is a variety of scanning range among different 3D scanner models that scan something as small as a coin to something as large as a car.  Therefore, it is important to understand what you are scanning and what FOV is most suitable to capture the details of the object.

The FOV of a 3D scanner can determine which model is best suited to 3D scan your object depending on its size. Choosing the right field of view is about finding the right balance between capturing enough detail of the object you want to scan and appropriate coverage for each scan. This balance is important so you can achieve a smoother scanning experience, complete scans in a shorter amount of time as well as reduce computer crashes that happen when the software is overloaded.

Some scanners have dual FOV like the Transcan C and the eviXscan 3D Quadro+ so it can scan small and medium size objects.  On the TranScan C, you can slide the cameras out to increase the FOV, while on eviScan Quadro there are 4 cameras installed - the inner cameras and the outer cameras.​

It really depends on the simplicity and versatility you require for the project.  Naturally, having multiple FOV is a bit more complex due to having varying settings.

Now let's dig a little deeper and look at the difference in FOV of Einscan Pro HD vs. Einscan Pro 2X 2020.

You can see that these 2 scanners have a different FOV.  Guess which one is better suited for large objects?  You probably guessed it right if you followed the logic so far - it's the EinScan Pro HD. Objects that are not very large like within the 3-100mm range, EinScan Pro 2X 2020 is better and it's cheaper too!  ​

So, keep in mind that there is no one-FOV-fits-all 3D scanner if you want a great 3D scanning output. The first step in choosing a 3D scanner is to confirm the size of the object you need to scan so it can help you determine the FOV of the scanner required. In the next blog, we will help you narrow it down further and together we will look at how the material on the surface of the object can affect your purchase choice.

Watch this webinar on how to select a model if you want to learn further!  

Shining 3D has come out with an affordable 3D scanner to enable 3D scanners to be used by more people to digitize our world in full color!  Best suited for VR/AR applications and digital content designers for sure.

​It's pretty good for a low cost 3D scanner, but ofcourse if you want more accuracy you do need to step up a notch for the higher end models.

Check out the video we created below.

Also beware you do require a good GPU and lots of memory to run this 3D scanner. 

In 3D scanning, accuracy is a key metric in choosing which model to use for your project. 

How accurately do you need to replicate the physical model? In other words, how authentic do you want the 3D digital model of the real object to be?

High end 3D scanners like eviXscan Quadro+ can achieve up to 0.007mm (7 microns) accuracy, while lower end 3D scanners like EinScan SP can still achieve an accuracy up to 0.05mm (50 microns). Accuracy of a 3D scanner depends on the quality of the camera, projector lights as well as the software.

Meanwhile there is another important metric, resolution.  Resolution is about defining the point distance the 3D scanner can capture to generate the point cloud which is then converted into a mesh.  If you 3D scan your object in high resolution, the point distance is small thus details will be more visible, while if you 3D scan your object in low resolution,  the point distance is bigger.

Below is a guideline of resolution settings that is optimal depending on the type of objects you are 3D scanning. Basically the recommendation is the smaller the object, use high detail (higher resolution) and the larger the object, use low detail (lower resolution) settting.

The Einscan Pro HD and EinScan 2X 2020 provde super high resolution with HD scan mode and setting the resolution to "High Detail".  This kind of high detail captures is useful for objects with that has a lot of details like the object below.  On the other hand, large engineering parts may not require such detail but higher accuracy.

Basically the tip is to think about what you are going to do about your 3D scan file and choose the right resolution setting depending on the object you are 3D scanning.

Alignment is an important step for 3D scanning to ensure the 360 degree digital surface model generated by the 3D scanner accuractly replicates the physical object.

With Shining 3D scanners, there are several alignment methods that can be deployed, depending on the shape of the target object.  Let's go through them one by one.

Also important to remember is when you are 3D scanning a large object on a tripod without a turntable, you need to ensure there is at least a 30% overlap from one scan to the next to ensure alignment.

​So that's it.  Not as difficult as you thought, right?

We get asked this question a lot. That's why we are here to help.  It's not easy to choose a 3D scanner that needs to capture different sizes, surfaces, shapes and textures. It also depends on your budget.  The difference in price comes from different components such as the camera lens, projector, light source, and software complexity. 

Let's outline 4 important features you need to understand to decide which model would be most suited for your project.

1. Light Source - Structured Light Or Laser?

Accuracy

The accuracy gives an information about the authenticity of a 3D model to the real object. Knowing the accuracy of your scanner is very important because it determines which model is most suitable for quality inspection, reverse engineering design, medical health, or any other applications with very rigid accuracy requirements. Usually, the higher accuracy the scanner is able to generate, the more applications it could be suitable for, and of course, the higher the cost.

Remember though, not all 3D scanning projects require the highest accuracy, so consider your budget and requirements to make a decision on which model to purchase. The accuracy used in the specifications of the scanner usually refer to the accuracy of a single scan. The volumetric accuracy refers to the relationship between 3D data accuracy and object size; with EinScan Pro Series the accuracy is reduced by 0.3mm per meter. This data is based on measuring the center of sphere with marker alignment. The volumetric accuracy of EinScan HX in laser mode is 0.06 mm per meter.

With EinScan handheld 3D Scanners the Pro Series and the H series, the resolution can be changed depending on the object size to ensure the 3D scan data size is manageable. 

3.  Scan Speed

Scan speed is a specification that definese how long it takes to scan one given object. It especially matters when you are going to scan the human body, as people can not stay still for a long time, and it also helps to improve the work efficiency when you are 3D scanning large objects like cars, buildings, etc. Scan speed can be defined by the number of points collected per second, frames per second, or how many seconds it takes to do a single scan. The more points or frames collected per second, the faster the scan speed.

4. Desktop or Handheld

Desktop 3D scanners are provides higher accuracy and enables automation of the whole 3D scan process. The EinScan Pro series handheld 3D scanners can be turned into a desktop/fixed 3D scanners with the Industrial Kit.  For 3D scanning larger objects (like humans or cars), using the handheld 3D scanner is the only solution.

Here is a comparison at a glance.

Accuracy Comparison

In reality all of the above models have similar accuracies. 
EinScan Pro HD and EinScan Pro 2X 2020 both have the same accuracy of 0.045mm in Handheld HD mode, while it is 0.05mm for EinScan H in body and standard mode, and 0.04mm for EinScan HX in laser mode. So accuracy might not be a critical parameter for you to choose a proper device among EinScan series. If high accuracy is a top priority on your agenda, EinScan HX is the best choice among all EinScan scanners. 

Resolution Comparison

EinScan Pro Series (2X 2020 & HD) achieves a higher resolution compared to EinScan H series.  Resolution captured by EinScan Pro 2X 2020 is marginally higher than the Pro HD due to the single scan range being smaller.

​The EinScan H series have a different projecting pattern to the Pro Series thus the resolution is lower. But remember, the EinScan HX can achieve a higher accuracy vs. the Pro Series.

To compare the speed of scanners, two facts need to be considered: single scan range and the points captured per second.

For points captured per second, in Handheld Rapid mode, all scanners of the EinScan Pro Series come with the same speed of 1,500,000 points/s. However as the EinScan Pro HD has a larger single scan range, it can scan large objects at a faster speed. EinScan H (standard scan&body scan) and EinScan-HX (rapid scan) come with the same scan speed in terms of points captured per second and scan range, which are all faster than Pro series. In the face scan mode of EinScan-H, the maximum scan range could reach 780mmx 900mm enabling a fast scan.

Hope this answers many of the questions you may have had!

EinScan HX
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The new EinScan HX combines blue laser and blue light in one unit that enables 3D scanning of reflective and dark surfaces with high accuracy. ​

Evatronix, the industrial-grade 3D scanner manufacturer, is shipping two new 3D scanner models early March 2020 to the USA!  Announced at Formnext 2019, these 2 new scanners utilize the advanced eviXscan 3D scanning software that comes with Heavy Duty Optima and Heavy Duty Quadro, while it is optimized to scan larger objects and smaller objects with high precision.  

Growshapes is an HP Silver Partner of HP 3D scanning solutions and the official U.S. distributor of Shining 3D EinScan 3D scanners. We are now carrying the eviXscan 3D scanner from Evatronix too!

​See the innovators on Growshapes’ social media channels to get the latest expert news on innovation in 3D digitization, then share your thoughts and join the conversation about 3D digital innovation with #digitize3D.

Growshapes had a great 2018 and have been busy to make sure we offer the best customer experience when somebody is looking to buy 3D scanners or adopt 3D scanning technology into their workflow.

Highlight of 2018

• Expanded our product portfolio beyond HP 3D scanners and added Open Technologies (now FARO) industrial grade 3D scanners as well as Shining3D EinScan handheld 3D scanners
• Became a referral agent to Artec 3D scanners
• Partnered with "medifacturing" startup, PrinterPrezz, to extend reach into the medical industry with 3D scanning technology​

But the year isn't over yet! 

If you want to add 3D scanning to your workflow, check out the 3D scanner selection on www.growshapes.com.

We just wanted to say "thank you" for being our customer and buying 3D scanners from Growshapes!

We continue to add select 3D scanners based on structured light technology this year.  We have now updated our website with the addition of  Shining 3D EinScan 3D scanners including the latest and greatest EinScan Pro 2X and EinScan Pro 2X Plus (bigger scan range vs. 2X) . These 2 new models were announced at Formnext 2018 in Germany this month.  Prices start from $5,499.

Key to note on EinScan Pro 2X Series:

• Improved UI: Post scan resolution setting option during data processing for faster scanning
• Faster scan speed: Processes up to 1,500,000 points per second (30 fps) under Handheld Rapid Scan Mode (Pro 2X series has 4 scan modes, same as the Pro models)
• High Speed Data Transmission: USB 3.0
• High Accuracy: Single scan accuracy under Fixed Scan/Auto Scan Mode is up to 0.04 mm
• Includes the Solid Edge SHINING 3D Edition software.  Created from the collaboration between Siemens PLM Software and SHINING 3D, this software includes reverse engineering, generative design, and simulation together with CAD tool in one platform

So if you were thinking of getting a versatile handheld 3D scanner, check out the new EinScan 3D scanners!