In our previous blog post, “Customizing a Thunder Roadster: Introduction”, you might’ve caught Ryan’s car being scanned using the Artec Eva 3D scanner. Artec manufactures structured light scanners, which are the perfect choice for making a textured and accurate 3D model. 3D scanning is being used more in many industries for reverse engineering and product customization due to the precise results and lowered technology costs. By capturing technological details and data from an object, it is possible to then recreate or improve upon it. In part two of this series, we’ll take a look at how Ryan’s Thunder Roadster was scanned.
Artec Studio
Manipulating the scan data can be challenging and not all 3D scan software is the same.
Artec Studio has a full range of advanced tools with the most comprehensive 3D data processing software available.
Scanning an object in Artec Studio is easy thanks to the new 3D radar mode. The software shows us when Chris is holding the scanner at the optimal distance by visualizing the real-time 3D data in green. If the scanner moves a little too close, the image turns red; a little too far back and it will turn blue, making sure we’re reminded to be at optimal scanning distance.
While there are many ways to generate advanced features to fine-tune the mesh in Artec Studio, Autopilot mode allowed us to save time, automatically guiding us through the post-processing steps and using the best algorithms available to build Ryan’s car model as fast as possible.
Making a 3D Model
To take the scanned data and get a useable model, we had to do a little bit of post-processing. Removing extraneous scan data like the surface the model was sitting on, extraneous points and a few other considerations ensure that we get a good model.
We have two different software programs available to us to take a scan from Artec Studio: Geomagic for SOLIDWORKS and Geomagic Design X.
Geomagic for SOLIDWORKS
A complete scan-to-CAD solution, Geomagic for SOLIDWORKS allows for the fastest scan to model generation. Once the scan is completed, we can export and edit the model directly into SOLIDWORKS. Since Geomagic for SOLIDWORKS operates directly inside SOLIDWORKS, we can take advantage of using the same familiar tools and workflows to create models from scan data with ease.
Geomagic Design X
Geomagic Design X is our Professional 3D scanning software solution, allowing for the most complete set of features to produce feature-based, editable models directly for SOLIDWORKS.
Its combination of automatic and guided solid model extraction features, incredibly accurate exact surface fitting to organic 3D scans, mesh editing and point cloud processing allow for the most complete and manufacturing-ready designs from scan data.
Due to the size and contoured shape of the car, as well as the number of scans used, we decided to go ahead and use Design X to generate our model. While being able to navigate and use scan data directly in SOLIDWORKS would be nice, we decided to take advantage of the more powerful features of Design X to go from our 3D scan to the 3D model.
>> Watch our full video below and learn more about the process of scanning and modeling the Thunder Roadster.
Now that we have a SOLIDWORKS model, we’ll go ahead and take a look at how air flows over the body and see what modifications Ryan can make to get the best performance out of the Thunder Roadster!
Click on the buttons below to read the rest of the blog posts in this series.
