If there's one thing that we've learned in over a decade and a half in the business, it's that there's no one system that can do every job... at least not yet! Over the years we've used just about every type of 3D scanning technology that's been made available, and we have a large number of legacy systems in-house that we still make use of, as systems from 15 years ago can still provide more data than many current workstations can handle. We always match the system and technology to the needs of the project and the budget that our clients are working within and they trust us to make the right decision that best suits those requirements..
Photogrammetry is a form of 3D scanning that has been around for many years, but in the past the impressive texture maps that it produced often hid an unsatisfactory underlying geometry.
However in recent years with the advent of progressively higher resolution DSLRs, along with the development of some excellent software solutions, photogrammetry can now often go toe-to-toe with traditional scanning technologies, equalling and in some cases exceeding them in terms of data quality, and certainly in terms of the huge texture resolutions that it is able to produce.
For a considerable time, the laser was the prevalent technology in 3D scanning for sheer accuracy, and whilst still the basis for a number of systems that we make use of, the emphasis seems to have shifted to projected and patterned light, for the reasons expressed to the left.
However, one area remains the domain of lasers: LIDAR scanning - the capture of large objects and environments at range.
For LIDAR we use a number of systems, but have been overwhelmingly impressed with FARO's Focus 3D for portability and ease of use.
This technology works by projecting a pattern (or combination of patterns) onto the object which is then analysed by one or more cameras.
The advantages over traditional lasers are that the capture time is usually quicker and subject matter that is difficult to capture with lasers (hair, shiny surfaces etc.) can often prove less of a problem or no problem at all.
Whilst we use a number of systems using this technology, we now almost solely use systems produced by Artec Group Inc. for their lack of calibration needs, portability and sheer usability.
PHOTOGRAMMETRY
LASER SCANNING
PROJECTED & PATTERNED LIGHT
PROJECTS