Like many people, I have been preparing files for 3D printing using 3D modeling programs or downloading them from 3D model repositories like Thingiverse. While this is an excellent and well-known method of getting the designs for 3D printing, they are not the only ones. Another approach is using a 3D scanner to capture real-world objects and turn them into ready-to-print files.

The first 3D scanner I got was the Revopoint MetroX. Although I was entirely new to the technology, I quickly realized its potential and wished I had gotten one earlier. Below are some benefits of using a 3D scanner to prepare files instead of traditional 3D modeling. Despite these benefits, you should remember that with 3D scanning, you can’t create a model that doesn’t exist in real life, and it’s limited when scanning complex internal features or hollow surfaces. Let’s now have a look at the benefits.

4 3D Scanning is a huge time saver

You can easily recreate existing objects, which is difficult to do manually

3D modeling is tedious and time-consuming, especially when designing a complex 3D shape from scratch. You must define the shape, refine the edges, sculpt, and add intricate details until you achieve perfect geometry. You need to craft every curve, surface, and texture to get your intended results; in most cases, it takes several attempts. Even if you are using a powerful 3D modeling software, manual designing requires skills, patience, and a deep understanding of design principles. Depending on its complexity, it can take you many hours, if not days, to finish a design.

When learning 3D modeling, I started with TinkerCAD as many people recommended, and I could quickly design simple models. However, when I wanted to create complex 3D models, I had to look for a more advanced program like Solidworks, and it took me quite some time to figure out how each tool worked. With 3D scanning, you only need to ensure that your 3D scanner is correctly set, and then you can produce your file.

When I got a 3D scanner, I only needed to calibrate it, and it was ready. Doing that wasn’t hard, as the scanner came with a calibration board and a tutorial on how to do it on the software provided. The shaped maker blocks that came with the 3D scanner made scanning faster, even for featureless objects. The software that came with the scanner made fixing the 3D scans easier, and within a few minutes, I had scanned and cleaned a 3D model.

3 It is more accurate than 3D modeling

No need for manual measurements and approximation

3D modeling relies on measurements, inputting dimensions, and using reference images, which can be prone to errors. Even experienced 3D designers will need to take a lot of time to develop an accurate design, especially for functional parts like gears and bearings and medical models like prosthetics and dental models.

When it comes to getting the details of real-world objects, 3D scanners capture designs with great precision, often down to microscopic levels in some cases, ensuring it produces the exact digital replica of the original object. This is especially true if you are using a high-end 3D scanner. For example, the accuracy of the MetroX that I use is up to 0.03 mm, but some can even go as low as 0.01mm. I used it to scan several objects, such as an owl, a flower pot, and the head of a person I had 3D printed earlier, and they came out quite well. The 3D scans of the owl captured even little details like the cracks in the original file, as shown in the photos in this article. It was satisfying to see.

2 Editing and refining scanned files is easy

Clean the 3D scans and prepare them for 3D printing

Most 3D scanner manufacturers have software compatible with their 3D scanners to fix the 3D scans. For example, the 3D scanner I use, MetroX, uses Revo Scan 5 software to edit raw scan data. The software is easy to use, and it didn’t take me long to figure out how to clean 3D scans. This is similar to most of the other 3D scanning software available, though with some, you will need to take some time to learn.

In the flower pot that I scanned, there were some sections that I needed to remove, like the petals that the scanner captured at the top of the pot. I selected those unwanted parts using the polygon selection tool, then clicked the delete tool, and they immediately disappeared. There are also tools for fixing holes, combining 3D scans, smoothing edges and surfaces, and simplifying tools for reducing the number of meshes.

If you also buy a 3D scanner, you should stick with the software they provide, as it will also come with a manual or guide on how to use it. If you are familiar with other mesh editing tools like Meshmixer, you can use it instead, as it comes with all the necessary tools to edit your 3D scans and make them 3D printable.

1 3D scanners capture textures

Capture real-world objects precisely as they are

Adding textures to 3D models using 3D models requires a lot of work. You need to create them manually, and it’s time-consuming and requires a high level of skill. A 3D scanner captures the geometry and the surface textures, resulting in a fully textured model without additional work. Some 3D scanners allow you to scan files in color or with no colors. I scanned a flower pot using the MetroX scanner, and it came out well. When zoomed in, you could see the writings on the side and the petal touching one side.

The scanner separates the mesh from the texture, which you can edit separately. After editing the file, you can export it in OBJ or PLY format, which stores geometric data and color and texture information. Multi-color 3D printers support OBJ file formats.

The ability of 3D scanners to capture real-life objects as they are makes them an excellent option for digitally preserving artifacts. If you have an object at home that you need to preserve, scanning it and 3D printing is a great option.

Create files for 3D printing using a 3D scanner

3D scanning is an excellent option for preparing ready-to-print files of existing objects instead of taking a lot of time 3D modeling them from scratch. While you must do some post-processing to clean up the scans, the overall workflow is faster. However, just like any other tool, a 3D scanner has disadvantages, such as the fact that it can struggle to scan transparent and reflective objects and might not accurately capture the internal structures of an object. If you intend to purchase one, it should have a high accuracy and resolution to capture all the details of the objects you are working on.