If your company still uses traditional surveying methods, it may sound strange that 3D laser scanning videos can play a vital role in the surveying process. However, companies that use laser surveying instead of traditional surveying methods have discovered that 3D laser imaging videos can improve the quality of their projects, both technically and conceptually. Seeing survey data expressed in the form of video allows companies and organizations to easily reach new conclusions about survey data that would be much longer to accomplish with traditional surveying methods. Below, we take a look at three areas where 3D laser imaging videos are proving indispensable to the quality of data surveying.

Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is one of the traditional areas where data surveying is routinely applied. But the less than precise data yielded by traditional surveying methods can quickly turn mechanical engineering into a process of trial and error. When companies use laser scanning to survey a machine’s working parts prior to its production, they can ensure its mechanical synchronicity in one try; and part of achieving this synchronicity involves observing how the parts work in motion. By observing parts in motion, engineers can realize problems in a machine’s housing, its potential wear patterns and its economy of motion. In addition to helping create better products, laser surveying videos help companies get their products on the market faster by eliminating the guesswork that can beset complex engineering.

Architecture
In addition to yielding less than precise results, one of the major weaknesses of traditional surveying methods to architecture is that they scarcely provide architects with a realistic vision of how a proposed object or building will interact with its surrounding area. Although architecture relies on the technical execution of a building’s construction, it also aims to create buildings that make aesthetic sense to their surroundings and logistical sense in their interiors. 3D laser mapping videos allow architects to observe a planned building from a variety realistic vantage points in relation to its surrounding area, as well as observe the effectiveness of a building’s egress paths through video that feature egress simulation.

Accident and Crime Scene Investigation
One of the newest applications of laser scanning technology involves the accident and crime scene investigation. Laser scanning videos allow law enforcement to observe crime and accident scenes by recreating what happened based on objective criteria, such as skid marks and bullet holes. Concerning accidents, laser scanning videos make it possible to verify eyewitness accounts based on scientific evidence. Concerning crime scenes, they allow law enforcement to determine such things as bullet trajectory and the positioning of the perpetrator in relation to the victim.
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Non-Contact 3D Digitizers work without touching the object and without damaging it in any way. Once obtained, the object data can be stored digitally or output in analog form so it can be processed and utilized for a wide variety of purposes.

This is a revolutionary process because we can now digitally record artifacts and object previously unmeasurable because of their fragility. Optical measurement systems, or non-contact scanners, are ideally suited for multi-dimensional imaging and digitization of art objects and cultural heritage materials. The object data collected may be used to conserve art and cultural treasures, for study and research purposes, and as a powerful marketing tool.

It has long been standard procedure in the industrial sector to create models from three-dimensional object data, either strictly 1:1 or scaled as required, using techniques such as 3D wax modeling or stereo lithography. Compared with conventional methods of direct modeling with materials like silicon, optical systems for measuring object forms, such as 3D inspection and laser scanning, have important advantages for museum exhibits or art and cultural treasures such as:

• The shape is measured without touching the object so absolutely no damage is caused.
• Scale models from three-dimensional object data are more accurate and truer to reality than manual copies.
• Three-dimensional object data can be read straight into cutting or stamping machines (for positive models) or used to manufacture a mold (for negative models).

With the advent of non-contact 3D scanning, we are now able to create accurate models that can be used for marketing purposes, fragile- artifact transportation and the conservation of fragile architectural reconstruction.

Non-contact scanning is an innovational service that correlates with 3D scanning, 3D laser scanning software, 3D inspection, photogrammetry, surface modeling and digitizing. Many of these products or services are used everywhere ranging between movie productions to health-care benefits or from the newest technology in criminal forensics to  the utilization in the production of air crafts and automobiles. Because there is no physical contact between non-contact measurement devices and the item being measured, there are more ways to utilize this technology than any other measurement device. This includes a vast array of materials such as cotton, metal, plastic and composite as-built surfaces.

Non-contact measurement has evolved from small to large scale through the innovation of new types of laser inspection. It was availble only to the government since 1993 but has recently become availble to general commercail systems giving leway into new innovational ideas.

By utilizing non-contact scanning, digitized 3D scanning creates a more in-depth look at the item being analyzed. This is because it allows the measurement of every small, inconspicuous dimension through the use of 3D laser technology. Instead of using one physically-held item to measure another one, non-contact scanning allows  more in-depth measurements as well as opens the opportunity to measure items previously unmeasurable.

Previously unmeasurable items are now open to scanning and measurement. This includes materials that were to soft or malleable, items that wielded under extreme temperatures, items to large for your standard measurement tools and items that were incredibly time consuming to measure. 3D inspection and laser scanning speed up results to produce more accurate items faster.

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Computer-Aided Design (CAD) has become increasingly popular and in demand. Aerospace suppliers, the automotive after market, biomedical industries, and general manufacturing companies make use of reverse engineering services.

Reverse engineering services involves generating 3-D images of manufactured components when a blue print is not accessible in order to re-manufacture the part. Reverse engineering will design a new part to fit your existing manufactured product or device.

Benefits of reverse engineering services include minimizing engineering, design time, and product development costs. Another benefit of reverse engineering services is that you can reproduce the product or device in computer-aided design with accuracy and efficiency. Reverse engineering services allows you to redesign a part without manufacturing defects.

The purpose of the first article inspection is to provide evidence that all engineering design and specification requirements are properly understood, verified, and documented. In other words, first article inspections can be considered a stamp of approval to continue with the manufacturing process of a product. First article inspection is used to improve customer product quality and effectiveness.

The first article inspection applies to all aerospace products. The purpose of this standard is to provide a consistent documentation requirement for aerospace components. Having proper documentation of first article inspections help companies account for all parts of development, verify the processes for production and report the findings for company and government records.

First article inspection using a 3D laser scanner:
3D laser scanners can accurately perform first article inspections by comparing the manufactured product to its computer-aided design (CAD) geometry. This process of the first article inspection will highlight areas that require closer attention.

3D scanning systems are used within various industries including automotive, aerospace, medical and manufacturers. 3D scanning is the process of capturing digital information about the shape of an object with equipment that uses a laser or light to measure the distance between the scanner and the object. 3D scanning can capture very small objects all the way up to full-size airplanes and skyscraper buildings. 3D scanning can be used for reverse engineering and computer-aided inspections (CAI).

3D laser scanners captures tens of thousands of points per second by sensing the reflection of a laser line bounced off the surface of the target object or surface. With 3D laser scanners production parts can be inspected quickly.
Benefits of 3D scanning include:

instant 3D image
time saving
detecting areas of poor product performance
enhancing a product’s design
accurate measurements of an object
offers cost benefits for metal fabricating and sheet-metal forming
provides documentation to evaluate a product for quality inspection and re-design

In conclusion, 3D scanning helps increase manufacturing efficiency, captures data quickly, shortens production cycles and improves product quality.

Computer-Aided Inspections (CAI) can be used for first article inspections, inspecting tools for accuracy or wear and monitoring manufacturing processes. Computer-aided inspection technology includes geometric algorithm software, non-contact 3D scanners, computing power and mass data storage. Computer-aided inspections have been used within the automotive industry at engine-building plants.

How’s Computer-Aided Inspection’s performed?

Your part or product is scanned to produce point cloud data. That data is converted to a clean mesh file that is then placed on top of the original computer-aided design data. A best fit function will be performed to make sure that the data is lined up correctly and spaced efficiently.

Then, the scanned data will be compared to the original computer-aided design data to determine the differences. Color deviation maps will show where the part surface is above or below the design surface. Computer-aided inspections introduces a faster and easier method to compare as-built parts with their 3D computer-aided design.

Overall, computer-aided inspection saves time and on money on first article inspections. You’ll spend less time collecting data and have more time to analyze.

White light scanners can be defined as digital shape sampling sensors that projects light in a pattern of lines on an object and through triangulation measures deviation of the original pattern and it calculates the surface representation data.

White light scanning systems has become a useful tool for automotive design studios. In the past coordinate measuring machines were used but they have been replaced with white light scanner systems. White light scanners can provide digitization of a full size car including the already built-in interior.

White light scanning is also used within the dentistry field. Computer-aided design has helped manufacture dental prostheses, provide educational dental training, plan dental surgery, and construct electronic casts instead of stone casts.

White light scanners can be defined as digital shape sampling sensors that projects light in a pattern of lines on an object and through triangulation measures deviation of the original pattern and it calculates the surface representation data.

White light scanning systems has become a useful tool for automotive design studios. White light scanners can provide digitization of a full size car including the already built-in interior.

White light scanning is also used within the dentistry field. Computer-aided design has helped manufacture dental prostheses, provide educational dental training, plan dental surgery, and construct electronic casts instead of stone casts.

White light scanning systems:

The Steinbichler COMET 5 is a white light 3D scanning system. The Steinbichler COMET 5 offers high-speed 3D measurements so 3D digitizing is completed in a timely manner.

The Steinbichler COMET xS provides automated white-light scanning. The Steinbichler COMET xS is a compact 3D digitizing system designed for fast, easy measurement and inspection of small objects.

Computer-Aided Inspections (CAI) can be used for first article inspections, inspecting tools for accuracy or wear and monitoring manufacturing processes. Computer-aided inspection technology includes geometric algorithm software, non-contact 3D scanners, computing power and mass data storage. Computer-aided inspections have been used within the automotive industry at engine-building plants.

How is a Computer-Aided Inspection performed?

Your part or product is scanned to produce point cloud data. That data is converted to a clean mesh file that is then placed on top of the original computer-aided design data. A best fit function will be performed to make sure that the data is lined up correctly and spaced efficiently. Color deviation maps will show where the part surface is above or below the design surface.

There are two widely used non-contact measurement systems for computer-aided inspections, which are 3D scanners and lasers. 3D scanners are used to find range. Lasers calculate the relative distance between points on a single axis.

Overall, computer-aided inspection saves time and on money on first article inspections. You will spend less time collecting data and have more time to analyze.