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Lucy
In 3D Scanning

Our 3D Scanning systems

3D scan of strawberry

What 3D scanning equipment do you use?

One of the questions we get asked by our customers is “What 3D scanning equipment do you use and why?”

There are many types of 3D scanning equipment available on the market today, you can even download apps to 3D scan an object on your phone, however the fundamental difference is the level of accuracy and repeatability that you achieve.
Our MD Tim Rapley introduced the UK’s first GOM 3D scanning systems during his time at McLaren. Since then, the technological advancements made by the GOM company have earned them a prestigious reputation as leaders in the world of metrology.

3D scanning is the process of capturing a physical object and collecting surface data to generate a point cloud or polygon mesh that can be used for product design and development, analysis or help to refine production processes and improve product efficiency.

To demonstrate this, we decided to use an everyday item to showcase our metrology system’s capability and with Wimbledon in full swing (excuse the pun…net!) and an expected 166,055 portions of strawberries and cream being consumed this year, we thought a strawberry would be a good choice!

A strawberry has a lot of surface detail and as we specialise in capturing surface geometries, it brilliantly showcases the capability of the industry-renowned GOM metrology systems used by our expert team and the images demonstrate the level of accuracy that can be achieved. At Physical Digital we pride ourselves on the expert knowledge of our engineers and our rigorous processes and procedures such as environmental control, to ensure that we capture your project at very high-levels of accuracy.

Our GOM 3D scanning systems

Here at Physical Digital® we offer a suite of 3D Structured Light (3DSL) optical measurement services using the industry leading GOM 3D ATOS scanning systems.

GOM ATOS Triple Scan (8M)

This flexible scanning system is most commonly used for our mobile measurement services, allowing us to provide you a flexible service at your premises therefore minimising downtime. GOM ATOS Triple scanners are high resolution, optical digitizers that deliver rapid and precise three-dimensional measuring data. This can be used for the measurement and inspection of many industrial parts and when combined with our GOM TRITOP Photogrammetry systems can be used to capture larger objects such as wind turbines, boat hulls and train carriages etc.

The ATOS Triple Scan technology works by projecting a fringe pattern (Structured Light) onto the surface of the object which is recorded by two cameras and is based on the stereo camera principle. The narrow-band blue light enables precise measurements to be carried out independently of environmental lighting conditions, improving overall accuracy.
Using triangulation principles, the sensor accurately measures the divergence and convergence of the pattern, creating a high-density point cloud of surface measurements.

GOM ATOS Compact Scan (12M)

This is another of our mobile 3D scanning systems that is used for a wide range of applications. Its interchangeable lenses provide small to large fields of view with high detail accuracy. This enable a sharp and precise scan result, which lends itself perfectly for inspection and reverse engineering.

Both mobile 3D scanners also enables probing, which enables our engineers to capture deep pockets, bores holes or areas that cannot be accessed optically (line of sight).

GOM ATOS ScanBox 5120 (16M)

Based at our facility in Guildford, Surrey our GOM ATOS ScanBox is ideally suited for batch measurement for parts up to 2 metres in size such as blades blisks, turbines, vehicle components etc. It delivers rapid, high accuracy automated 3D measurements. Contained within our environmentally controlled measurement cell, the ScanBox utilises the GOM ATOS 16M Triple Scan sensor, with the ability to capture surface data with a detail resolution of more than 20 measuring points per millimetre.

Scan data strawberry image
GOM ATOS Triple Scan strawberry image
GOM ATOS Triple Scan strawberry image
GOM ATOS Triple Scan
GOM ATOS Compact Scan
GOM ATOS ScanBox 5120

What level of accuracy can be achieved?

Our 3D Measurement systems are able to capture up to 16 million points within 1-2 seconds. The level of accuracy achieved is often determined by the client and can vary on object size, complexity etc. Typically for a turbine blade we would look to achieve a precision of less than 5 microns.

For example of some of our projects, please see our case study page for more information on the different types of objects we are able to scan.

For all your 3D measurement and Inspection requirements, be it a strawberry, sculpture, jet turbine or industrial gas turbine, contact our experienced team on 01483 750200 or via our contact us page and we will be pleased to help you with your enquiry.

Lucy
In 3D Scanning, Reverse engineering

What is Laser Scanning?

Laser Scanning - 3D optical scanning phase shifting fringe pattern

What is Laser scanning?

Laser stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. 3D laser scanning uses a laser beam to scan parts. There are various types of laser scanners, but the most commonly used are: handheld, where the beam sweeps over the part and tripod mounted, where the laser line sweeps across an area or measures a single point. The scanners can also be attached to an arm or traditional CMM gantry, however this sometimes limits scanning to a finite size, which can increase the risk of human error and introduce a level of uncertainty to the measurement.

3D Structured Light (3DSL) scanning

3D scanning using structured light is a fast, highly-accurate and non-destructive method of capturing the physical form of an object digitally. Much like laser scanning, the digital data captured via 3DSL scanning can then be used in product design, visualisation and inspection to assist design engineers with quality assurance, design modifications and improvements.

Rather than using a laser beam, 3DSL optical scanning uses two high resolution digital cameras in order to capture the data. A digital projector and Light Emitting Diode (LED) project a fringe pattern across the surface of the object using a narrow wavelength of blue light. By using the two digital cameras and applying the principles of triangulation, the sensor measures to a very high level of accuracy. This creates a high-density point cloud of surface measurements which can be used for a wide variety of applications.

Data output

Both laser scanners and 3DSL scanners produce high-density point clouds or polygon mesh which can be inspected directly to a CAD model, geometry or manufacturing drawings or, for legacy products can be reverse engineered using specialist software.

Accuracy and traceability

Laser scanners capture the data once as the line passes the illuminated object.  3DSL scanners sample the data many times, as fringe patterns of blue light of varying width and phase capture the form of the object. Due to the repeatability, traceability and high- resolution of measurement, the accuracy of a 3DSL scanner is described as inherently higher than that of a laser scanner. Both systems are largely unaffected by the ambient light conditions, making either type of system suitable in industrial applications. Due to the higher level of accuracy afforded by 3DSL scanning, it is particularly suitable for measuring very detailed items, capturing defined edges of parts such as turbine blades. For this reason, 3DSL is the preferred method of data capture for Aerospace and Power Generation industries due to the high-level of accuracy, resolution and full traceability of the data.

High resolution 3D data captured using GOM metrology equipment
3D scanning using GOM ATOS ScanBox
Photogrammetry used in conjunction with 3D scanning
Laser Scanning - 3D optical scanning phase shifting fringe pattern
Strawberry July 2019

Safety

One of the big differences between Laser scanners and 3DSL (blue light) scanners is the intensity of light used. Laser scanners focus intense light and energy into a very small area and therefore one of the largest safety concerns around this is eye-safety. Blue light technology does not project with the same intensity, and therefore does not present the same risks. This makes the 3DSL technology easy to implement in a wide range of environments as it presents minimal safety issues when being used in open workshops or design studios.

Potential Scanning Area

The potential scanning area of the GOM ATOS system we use at Physical Digital can be extended without impacting on the accuracy of the scan data through the added benefit of using the GOM TRITOP photogrammetry system.  Photogrammetry is a separate metrology system designed to capture reference points using multiple digital images, using a verified DSLR camera.  The GOM system can use these reference points to extend the potential scanning area, which means it is possible to capture large objects such as entire aircraft or boats.  The majority of laser scanners do not have the ability to integrate with photogrammetry or other single point systems such as laser trackers, meaning that the accuracy when scanning larger objects can be compromised.

Physical Digital are the UK’s leading provider of 3DSL Scanning

As the UK’s leading service provider for 3D scanning metrology and reverse engineering, Physical Digital have invested heavily in the industry-leading GOM metrology system which uses 3DSL as its method of data capture. Physical Digital maintain the highest level of industry calibration and traceability for all their GOM metrology systems and where required utilise the GOM photogrammetry systems with traceable artefacts of less than <1µm uncertainty.

The 3D scanning systems used by Physical Digital record all measurement data within its dedicated specialist software. This allows vital information to be recalled at any time, such as calibration information, measurement temperature, part numbers and lighting or movement changes, along with maintaining a fully parametric link from measurement data to final report. This offers a huge advantage over every other system currently on the market and provides the full traceability required for high liability manufacturing.

Our GOM ATOS Triple Scan and Compact Scanning systems are fully mobile enabling our expert team to complete measurement at your facility, reducing the downtime of your production parts. For repeat and batch measurement projects, our automated ATOS ScanBox is the ideal solution, providing highly accurate and cost-effective data capture for larger projects.

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