Does anyone here have experience doing 3d scans of small scale model parts to create new CAD models for 3d printing? Any recommendations of scanners that can scan small parts? And tips and/or experiences you wish to share?
Interesting question, I will follow the replies as I have no idea… However I have tried a site that can create a 3D model from images (or even text) using AI and my single test with one image for a figure was surprisingly good. You will have to resize to scale on your own, and I think you have to subscribe for downloading the file. But it is worth to try:
I guess there are more, but this is the one I have tried.
Depends on how small the part is, how complex it is (is it mostly flat? Are there many reference points for the computer to use? Are there any crevices/holes/indents/bosses/overhangs?), how detailed it is, whether or not you’re able to suspend/lift the part from the bed, what the scanning resolution of the scanner is, what the minimum AND maximum scanning distance is, and how advanced the scanning software is, among other things. I have 2 scanners: a Revopoint Range for large scans and a Revopoint POP 2 for smaller scans. These are a bit outdated by todays inexpensive consumer-grade scanners but still work just fine if a little finicky. In general, it’s not really worth scanning extremely tiny parts because the scanner won’t be able to pick up all the fine detail, it may be dimensionally inaccurate, and the scanner might not even be able to accurately scan such a small piece.