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With over 35 years of business experience and an extensive history working on Ferrari vehicles, Italian Design and Racing, based in Mesa, Arizona, is a custom fabrication and restoration company that specializes in Italian exotic cars. Their engineering team is using the EinScan HX Handheld 3D scanner to preserve a vintage racing car body which was placed on a more modern Ferrari chassis. Chris Carpenter, lead technology engineer, talked about his experience with 3D technology and how the hybrid light source 3D scanner, EinScan HX completely changed their workflow. After a crash destroyed the original Ferrari 750 Monza Spyder body, an aspiring young car builder, Peter Monteverdi (a Swiss car maker and creator of the car brand Montiverdi) designed the first gullwinged door body to be used on a Ferrari chassis, which at the time was built by Sauter out of Switzerland in 1957. The gullwing body had been kept by private collectors off of its original chassis. “We’re looking to restore the car body”, says Carpenter. “We’ve adapted a more modern Ferrari chassis and drive train to restore its bespoke look.” Carpenter joining the team has shifted its restoration process from analog to digital, with EinScan HX Handheld 3D scanner being a key tool to digitize the parts for restoration projects.  Carpenter 3D Scanning the Gullwing, photo courtesy of Shining 3D Advantages of Hybrid Light Source 3D Scanner Since the EinScan HX Handheld 3D scanner can scan by features or markers, it has the flexibility to scan objects of any size. Restorers not only need to scan the body and chassis to find the right installation point, but also need to scan various sizes and shapes of parts. Even a small error or misalignment can skew the assembly of the doors and chassis, therefore being able to 3D scan different parts efficientlyis key. The laser is less sensitive to ambient light and performs better on reflective surfaces such as body panels, while the blue LED light allows for a rapid scan mode, quickly providing more interior and engine compartment data to test fit parts and better understand the clearance of custom parts. The combination of two light sources saves working time and improves efficiency.
Significance of 3D Scanning Results The scanning data will have long-term consequences for the field of racing car restoration. The scans can be used by fabricators as a reference to assist in recreating the car’s original shape, saving time and resources in the event of damage done to the vehicle. It may also be used for additive manufacturing, through reverse design and 3D printing to make parts that are no longer in production or hard to find.  Carpenter digitally preserving the car body design with EinScan HX, photo courtesy of Shining 3D Read this blog about how a hobbyist created some parts for his old Mini Cooper here too! Growshapes the official U.S. distributor of Shining 3D EinScan 3D scanners. We now carry the eviXscan 3D scanner from Evatronix as well!
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Edward Van Zyl, a seasoned 3D scanning and printing expert from Manitoba, heads the company Dreamworks 3D Printing and Scanning. With extensive expertise in vintage car restoration and customization, he is enthusiastic about utilizing state-of-the-art equipment to capture intricate details of automotive components and then utilizing software to generate accurate 3D models. This article, courtesy of Shining 3D, deep dives into the tips utilized by Edward for scanning with the EinScan HX Hybrid Light Source Handheld 3D Scanner and the reverse engineering of car parts through the use of Geomagic Essentials and Fusion 360. Scanning And Printing An Arrow 50 Scooter Part Edward embarked on a projet to 3D scan and reverse engineer an Arrow 50 scooter part and then 3D print. He chose the EinScan HX Hybrid Light Source Handheld 3D Scanner for this reverse engineering project. In the 3D scanning process, Edward provides a small tip: utilizing miniature pyramids as markers rather than some of the markers that need to be put directly onto the object. This has the advantage of saving time and cost, as it eliminates the need for post-scan cleaning and the small pyramids can be reused. You may download files of pyramids here.  Arrow 50 Scooter Part & Pyramid Markers Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D In laser scan mode, EinScan HX has a maximum scan speed of 480,000points/s. It just took around 12 minutes to complete the whole scan of the component. And the laser scan mode of EinScan HX makes the scanned data accurate up to 0.04mm, thus you get a very accurate model for subsequent work.  Scan File generated by EinScan HX Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D Below is the 3D printed part from Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo 3D Printer.  3D Printed Part Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D Cutting A Fender Using Geomagic Essentials Edward’s goal was to cut a fender and make sure it was the right size for installation. Usually, he will print out the part for test, and in this case he offers an easy-to-print and material-saving trick. He creates a small offset about 5 mm or even less, and cuts the part again, so that he gets a tiny piece of the fender, but maintains the geometry he need. 3D printing this thin piece was just as good for installation testing, and using only a minimal amount of printed material.
Reverse Engineering An Engine Using Geomagic Essentials And Fusion 360 Furthermore, Edward uses Geomagic Essentials to extract features on the engine, and then using Fusion 360 to model the three holes in which he wants to simulate the mounting bolts.  Extracting features in Geomagic Essentials Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D One thing to keep in mind here is that you need to maintain the mesh and the extracted features in uniform coordinates. This step ensures that the extracted features can be overlayed on the mesh in the right position. After extruding two cylinders of different sizes and modeling some threads, the mounting bolt is done.  Modeled Mounting Bolts and Brackets Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D This is basically how to go from scanning to printing of a part; how to use a mesh and model mounting bolts in Geomagic Essentials and Fusion 360. And it is clear how much can be done with a bundle of 3D scanners and softwares. You may find more operation details in the playback video. If you found this content useful, please follow Shining 3D's webinar pages, so you won’t miss out on more information. 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 Are you still using calipers? Have you tried reverse engineering using 3D scanners? It's a new tool for an old task. Merriam-Webster defines reverse engineering as "the process of disassembling and examining a product or device to discover the concepts involved in its manufacture, usually with the goal of producing something similar." As the design process is beoming digitized, reverse engineering today is more commonly associated with the process of converting a physical object’s geometry into a digital 3D model and replicating the original design or further improving for new manufacturing processes such as additive manufacturing. More engineers are moving away from using calipers and adopting 3D scanners to take measurements, especially of complex parts.  Reverse Engineering Model, Courtesy of Shining 3D 3D scanners allows you to digitally capture the geometry of even the most complex parts in an extraordinarily quick and precise manner. A large docking pump was recently captured in just 20 minutes for example, with the help of laser 3D scanning. This technology has enabled the use of reverse engineering in situations beyond simple benchmarking and part reproduction, as we explore in the next section. Main Applications for 3D Scanning & Reverse Engineering Reverse engineering with 3D scanning offers many possibilities for product development and manufacturing. Overall, the different uses of reverse engineering can be divided into three major applications: (1) to replicate parts, (2) to create variations of existing parts, or (3) to develop entirely new parts based on an existing environment or object. Let's look at each application in a bit more detail. 1. Recreate & Replicate Parts One of the most popular uses for 3D scanners is recreating damaged or worn-out parts that are unavailable from the original supplier or lack proper documentation. This is a common problem when working with old machinery or vintage vehicles, and it’s always challenging to do with manual reverse engineering tools like calipers. However, with a good 3D scanner and the proper software, it can become a straightforward task. Katsuya Tanabiki, for example, shared his process of reverse engineering a shield notch on an old motorcycle helmet. The helmet featured two shield notches, but one was broken, and it was too difficult to obtain a replacement notch. This tiny part was 3D scanned with an EinScan Pro 2X in Fixed Mode, and later 3D printed.
2. Improve The Design of Existing Parts Another goal of reverse engineering is to use digitized parts to create new and improved variants instead of merely reproducing them. This method can significantly reduce the time and costs of creating parts from scratch and also ensures a perfect fit for components belonging to larger assemblies. Taiwanese company Kiden Design has illustrated the reverse engineering process of optimizing a pipe using 3D scanning, CAD, and 3D printing. The EinScan Pro HD 3D scanner, used in Handheld mode, captured the irregular geometry of the pipe on two opposite sides that were stitched together later in software. Thanks to the accurate 3D model obtained, the geometry could be easily optimized in CAD.  Optimizing the Pipe Design Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D
3. Create & Design Entirely New Parts Another application for reverse engineering is where a part is digitized as a reference to create entirely new parts. This procedure is usually employed when a tight fit is required on an existing part that is too complex or has an irregular interface.
This particular technique is also commonly practiced by medical professionals since body parts are unique and challenging to accurately replicate using manual methods. Here, 3D scanning once again has proven to be an efficient tool for digitizing human parts and surfaces. Earmolds, for example, are patient-specific parts that help conduct sound from the hearing aids to the ear canal. Servicing or creating new earmolds from scratch can take several weeks during which patients experience hearing problems without them. However, thanks to reverse engineering methods with 3D scanning and 3D printing, the Hearing Beyond Audiology Clinic in Toronto can produce temporary earmolds in just one day. The temporary accessory allows patients to keep their hearing while waiting for the earmolds to be produced or serviced in other facilities. Similar reverse engineering methods with 3D scanning are also utilized for producing facial prosthetics and custom orthotics.  Earmolds Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D Quality Data Capture Is Key for Successful Reverse Engineeing The use cases above clearly demonstrate the central role of 3D scanning in reverse engineering. It comes as no surprise that the effectiveness and accuracy of data captured by 3D scanning are crucial for a successful reverse engineering process. Yet, the software tools used for processing the data and working with the 3D models are also essential for achieving the desired results in reverse engineering. To understand the importance of good data and adequate software, let’s go over the main steps of reverse engineering with 3D scanning. Step 1. Data acquisition The very first step in any reverse engineering process is data acquisition. Regardless of the method, proper planning and preparation can make the difference between good and poor data. With 3D scanning, this involves selecting the correct device for the job, including the proper configuration (handheld or stationary) and accessories such as turntables, fixtures, and calibration panels. Correct calibration of the device is also vital to acquire quality data. The regions or parts to be digitized usually demand some kind of preparation. Besides a good cleaning, some 3D scanning devices also require the use of markers or even special coatings on reflective surfaces. One should also consider the ambient conditions before starting the digitization process. A controlled environment (e.g. indoors, without direct sunlight, a cleared tabletop, …) is always preferred to reduce noise in the data, but that’s not always possible. All the factors mentioned will contribute to proper data collection, which will in turn determine how quickly and easily the data can be processed next. Step 2. Post-Processing The next step in a reverse engineering process is post-processing the acquired data, or the “point cloud”. Here, the point cloud is processed by software tools – like EinScan software – resulting in a 3D mesh representation of the digitized object.  Point Cloud Image In any case, the 3D model in this initial stage usually requires some refinement like removing unwanted captured data, repairing surfaces, and filling gaps per below.  3D mesh data editing, Courtesy of Shining 3D The better the data quality acquired, the less post-processing and repairing will be needed. The post-processing step is also when reference entities are assigned to the 3D model, a procedure that should expedite the next stage of the reverse engineering process. Step 3. CAD Model Generation The final step in a reverse engineering process is to convert the mesh representation of the physical object captured by the 3D scanner into a solid 3D model.  CAD Model from 3D Scan Photo: Courtesy of Shining 3D As accurate as the mesh model can be, it is inadequate for most reverse engineering applications that require additional handling like fixing any physical damage, creating variations, or designing new parts altogether. In this stage, the refined mesh model from the previous step works as an exact reference model for recreating the model using parametric CAD tools. Although in theory any general-purpose CAD program could handle this, specially purposed software geared towards reverse engineering can make the process much easier and yield much better results too. An appropriate CAD software for reverse engineering can also compare the digitized model to the parametric one, allowing users to check for geometrical and dimensional differences. Conclusion Reverse engineering has come a long way and 3D scanning technologies have broadened the range of industrial applications for reverse engineering, benefiting both businesses and consumers. The quality of the captured data is crucial to obtain good results in reverse engineering. The choice of the 3D scanning device, as well as its capabilities and functions, play a central role in the success of the entire process. Read further about how to make sure you choose the right model for your project here. Though often overlooked or underestimated, the software used in the later stages of reverse engineering also bears great importance. Specific built-in tools for the job can make a big difference in a well-executed reverse engineering process. 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 You know what's great about EinScan 3D Scanners? The software that comes with the 3D scanner is a perpetual license which means no additional fees for software upgrades and Shining3D keeps improving its software as it develops new features! This time, the new software update is for EinScan H. Let dive right into some of the updates:
Before we get into the details of these updates, please note that the projects saved by previous versions are not compatible to this new released version. Please make sure you have finished all your projects in previous versions and then update to this new version! Now onto the key improvements in more detail! IR Mode Data Quality Improvment IR Mode (Infrared Ray Mode) uses an invisible light source thus suited for scanning people and slightly reflective objects. Data quality and accuracy are lower that in white light mode but with the new update of V1.1.0.1, captured data quality has significantly improved in IR mode.  Look more closely and you'll see massive improvement.  Data Quality Indicator Function The updated HV1.1.0.1 has a new data quality indicator tool to help you get better data. The red color represents the insufficient data amount, the yellow color represents the imcomplete data amount, and the green color represents the adequate data amount so easy to see if you have captured sufficent data while you are scanning. This is implemented in the Einstar too.  Mesh Select Tool：Select Through / Visible A new functional selection tool has been added to the post processing session. You can now select either a through or a visible point cloud.
More Mesh Parameters Compared to previous versions of the software, this update provides significant improvements to the mesh parameters, offering a wide range of options to choose from.
Free to Select Point Cloud Optimization This update allows users to freely choose whether to perform point cloud optimization or not. Take the sample part on the figure as an example, generating the point cloud directly takes about 50%* less time than generating the point cloud after optimization. You can choose whether you want to generate the point cloud after optimization according to your needs.  【Note】The measured results show that the direct point cloud generation time is 129 seconds and the optimized point cloud generation time is 276 seconds, which is a 53.2% reduction in point cloud generation time. Online user manual You can visit our online user manual for more instructions on how to use the product. Click on the image below to download the manual.  Shining Account Integration This update adds a new Shining account login page where you can register your account and jump to our cloud-based platform where you can make software updates, download product manuals, learn about Shining 3D products, and more. In addition, with this update you will be able to activate the software online and offline.  These are all the updates and below is the link! 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 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.  EinstarGenerates high-quality 3D data in full color at an affordable price and easy to use software. Perpetual license with no ongoing subscription fees. Approx. 0.3mm accuracy. PC Requirement: Win 10/11 |32GB RAM | NVIDIA GTX or RTX with over 1,000 CUDA cores | Intel CPU i7 or i9 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 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. 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 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.
2. Feature Alignment
3. Markers Alignment
4. Texture Alignment
5. Hybrid Alignment
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? 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 Structured light 3D scanners use the projector light to project structured light patterns onto your target object, while the cameras capture the change in the structured light patterns and the 3D scan software generates the 360 degree digital surface model of your target physcial object. Therefore, for any structured light 3D scanner, adjusting the 3D scanner projector brightness level is very important. This enables the 3D scanner to project the sturctured light pattern adequately to capture the surface dimensions of the target object. See below for guidance.  It is important to adjust your distance between the 3D scanner and the target object as well as the brightness.
Make sure you get the hang of the correct brightness as well as the distance between the object and the 3D scanner, so your 3D scanning process will proceed smoothly! 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 Solid Edge 2021 brought us powerful performance updates to make our working flow more efficient in the areas of Reverse Engineering as well as Part Modeling, and this year, it moves further, launching the promising and practical next generation design functions, Subdivision Modeling and Convergent Modeling. Let´s take a look at the detailed updates of Solid Edge 2022 and discover its advantages and innovations. Please note:
Subdivision Modeling EnhancementsSubdivision Modeling makes it easier to generate a stylized body and control its shape by using a polygonal cage. Solid Edge 2022 introduces new modification functions.   Bridge In the Subdivision Modeling environment, you can use the new "Bridge" command to create a loft-like feature that connects edges or faces selected on a single cage or two separate cages.
Offset Cage Faces Offset allows users to select faces of a cage and offset them along their normal direction. Offset allows users to select faces of a cage and offset them along their normal direction. Offset allows users to select faces of a cage and offset them along their normal direction
Split with Offset Allows adding local detail to model without having to split the entire model, use the new "Split with Offset" command to add detail to a face by offsetting the new faces inward by a user-defined amount.  Align to Curve Use the new Align to Curve command to fit the vertices of body cage faces to one or more existing curves or to curves you interactively sketch. You can undo and redo each curve edit until you achieve the desired shape.  Convergent ModelingSolid Edge now supports mixed mesh modelling (a.k.a Hybrid Convergent modelling). Mesh and Classical faces are in one body, this is extremely helpful when you do assembly reverse engineering and 3D printing.  The new "Show Facet Edges" command controls the display of facet edges within a model. When selected, the command displays the facets; when deselected, the facet edges are not displayed.  Reference Point Cloud
With all new features, Solid Edge 2022 Shining 3D Edition allows you to do more with your scanned data. It is the practical and efficient solution for engineers, designers and 3D enthusiasts for sure. 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 Challenge: Finding replacement parts for a classic car
Solution: EinScan Pro 2X fills the gap John, also being a talented engineer and with his deep knowledge of 3D printing technology, he decided to reverse engineer these Mini Cooper steering column covers and 3D print new replacement parts. Rather than measuring the parts with a caliper and designing in CAD from scratch, John decided to 3D scan the plastic steering column covers to generate a 3D digital surface model to get accurate measurements of the parts with the EinScan Pro 2X 3D scanner
 The EinScan Pro 2X 3D scanner with the Industrial Kit enabled John to put the object on the turntable and within an hour or so, get a workable 3D mesh. Multiple scans were automatically fused together to create a watertight 360-degree digital surface mesh that was then imported into the Solid Edge Shining 3D Edition reverse engineering software. The surface mesh files were leveraged to build a solid model, make design improvements, and then be further process for 3D printing. Results: Capturing details enabled precise CAD file creation for 3D printing
“By using the 3D scanner, I was able to focus on creating the CAD file suitable for 3D printing without having to wrestle with measurements and generating a CAD file from scratch.” - John Buffington. Also importatnt to note is to understand copyright laws in the US. Reverse engineering is legal but if you are going to reproduce and profit, you should get in touch with a patent lawyer. With an old part like above, it's beyond the copyright Growshapes the official U.S. distributor of Shining 3D EinScan 3D scanners. We now carry the eviXscan 3D scanner from Evatronix as well!
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