Category Archives: 3D Printing

ReconstructMe and IPO.Face

On Batch Scanning People

By Martin Lang, IPO.Plan GmbH

Normally our company focuses on unique planning tools, interactive process visualisations and specialised services for factory and production planning. We are also using commodity depth sensors mounted on robots that help us gather valuable 3D data from the factory floor. Utilising the invaluable ReconstructMeSDK we are able to directly transfer parts of real production environments into our planning software.

Once in a while somebody needs some distraction. So we thought: Hey, let’s scan people for a change!

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IPO.Face

Building on our know-how with robotics and the ReconstructMeSDK, we planned, constructed, and implemented an upper body people scanner in less than 40 days.

The basic concept is to quickly move a Primesense 1.09 sensor in a predefined pattern around a person’s head while the reconstruction algorithm handles tracking, reconstruction and surface generation. A post-processing step applies some plane cuts and adds a premodelled base to the mesh, yielding a 3D printable bust.

The mechanical structure of IPO.Face is built from standard of-the-shelf items, with special parts being laser-cut from aluminium or 3D printed (ABS). Servo motors rotate a circle shaped guiding and move an attached sledge with the mounted Primesense along that guiding. Motion control and the ReconstructMeSDK are handled by a single software. Thus with the help of accurate positional sensors we are able to recover the reconstruction pose in real time if sensor tracking is lost.

After trials we settled for a 20 sec movement pattern which gave us good results for most face features including chin and complex haircuts. During an in-house exhibition we scanned 70+ persons. They all received their 3D digital models and, as an option bound to a charitable donation, were later provided with a 3D printed bust as well.

blog image prints

ReconstructMe makes a Wedding Cake Topper

by Steve Dey

It was October 2013, I finally had my 360 degree scanning turntable based on Fredini’s excellent design and driven by a high torque 3 rpm rotisserie motor.  I had a Primesense Carmine 1.09 close range scanner which after months of disappointing results was working perfectly thanks to a driver upgrade.  I had a new PC in which lurked a beast of a graphics card – the NVIDIA GeForrce GTX Titan (I do a lot of work with video and 3D graphics).  I had the latest version of ReconstructMe 2.0.199 which I was convinced would deliver the most accurate models and the quickest workflow. To print the models I had a home-built original Ultimaker.

topper1

My 3D scan and print studio was open for business!  So who to scan first?  My young children would not stand on my turntable for more than 10 seconds, they were justifiably weary of being guinea pigs for tests and trails.  My wife though supportive was not ready to see a mini version of herself.  In my excitement to get the technology working I had not considered the implications of being confronted by a 360 degree model of oneself.  As it turned out most men are not in the slightest bit bothered by this  idea other than the odd query about 3D airbrushing a six-pack. Kids universally loved the idea of a mini version of themself. Women seemed to fall into two camps either, “scan-me-all-day I love it” or “do not even ask me to step on that turntable”.

After a dozen or so scan and prints I had worked out the workflow and ironed out most of the issues. I found memory issues sometimes as the close range scanner seemed to build huge models which sometimes would not fully export from ReconstructMe. I found by keeping the scan volume large enough and the distance of the scanner right I could avoid this problem. I beleive the ReconstructMe team are investigating this but I am getting good enough results for now. Another problem I had was with the security software BitDefender, after installing this software my PrimeSense and my backup Kinect scanner failed to work and not just with ReconstructMe so I switched to another security solution and all was fine.

Then one day a wedding invitation arrives from our good friends Carl and Emily and after a discussion about the arrangements someone came up with the idea of the 3D scan and printed wedding cake topper.

topper2 topper3_1

At first I tried scanning the couple together, the turntable is large enough to do this but I soon realized that there were too many scanning blind spots. So we scanned them individually and the results were good. Using Blender I cleaned up any defects and reunited the happy couple on a platform but then how should they be orientated face-to-face or side-by-side? I used Sketchfab to share the models online but the happy couple still could not decide so we printed a few versions.

On the wedding day the cake attracted a lot of attention, mobile phones and cameras were trained on the cake, lots of questions were asked. Emily and Carl were pleased to have something unique at their wedding and for most of their guests this was their first exposure to 3D scanning and printing. The attention it generated continued after the wedding day, I was interviewed by local newspapers and then I appeared in a national newspaper. Then I was on a local radio station explaining how 3D printing and scanning worked. Unsurprisingly I am getting requests for new models now but setting a price for these has proved difficult given the effort involved. I think plastic has an association with being cheap despite the fact that these models are unique. So I am investigating colour 3D printing to see if people would value this more.

for Emily and Carl

Why you can’t ignore 3D scanning technology

3D printing and 3D scanning made the jump to your home or office! Scientists are using this technology for a long time and you would never believe, what they are using it for. Take a look. We have searched the internet to find some excellent examples of what has already been created, and what possibilities lie ahead.

 

Get fascinated of the world of 3D scanning and try our software trial for free.

Pictures are taken from www.wired.co.uk

Which 3D printing material is the right one for your project?

After 3D scanning and 3D printing got affordable the last years, we thought about the printing materials. Is there a difference? What material for what use? There is a wide range of manufacturing materials, the range lets you maximize the benefits of 3D printing.

There are many types of material in general. Depending on what you want to do. Plastic, metal or ceramic, for example. It also depends on the printer you have, working temperature and much more. But do not get frustrated. Many of the online shops offer various sample material kits, good documented datasheet and comparison sheets.

Well, the most important thing is, do not just buy the cheapest one. Ok, price is a big point, but think of the results, too! Do you want a smoothness in you printing results? A detailed version or colored one?

Send us your material shops. We always searching for new sources..

What is you favorite material and what have you scanned and printed so far? Send us your scans!