Last week, we introduced you to 3D scanning technology and all of its many uses. This week, we’re going to focus on how it actually works with technical specifications sure to appease even the most detail oriented among us.

These scanners work in a variety of different ways but there are some aspects that are applicable across all different types. If short-range scanning is your goal, then you are likely talking about laser triangulation or structured light scanners. Laser triangulation involves the use of a laser line or point that runs across an object at close range. A sensor calculates the amount of light reflected off the object in order to draw a dot map of it on a computer. The other type of short range 3D scanning is structured light. It uses white or blue light to project patterns onto an object. The edges of each line is measured and the distance between the scanner and object is recorded to create a three-dimensional image.

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Is there anything 3D scanning technology can’t do? That ought to be the question. Still, if you’re interested in this area of advancement, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to spend the next two posts discussing what it is, how it works, and why you should definitely care about how it progresses over the next few years.

For starters, you might be wondering what a 3D scanner is, exactly. Let’s break it down. A 3D scanner is a device that can measure an object or its surroundings using lights, laser, or x-rays. It creates point clouds or polygon meshes depending on where the light/lasers hit the object in front of it. These data points are then fed into a computer and processed to create a three-dimensional rendering of the physical object or space.

Now let’s think about some of the things this technology is used for. Right this very second, people are using 3D scanning to record data about parts of equipment and devices like vehicles, aircraft, and machinery that may not currently have a digital blueprint available. This makes it much simpler for engineers to then update designs and make modifications.

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You already know by now that 3D scanning technology has a multitude of uses. But did you know it’s currently being used by NASCAR? That’s right! The racecar conglomerate is now using this tech to streamline vehicles and encourage even faster speeds along the racetrack. And when the cars already barrel down at nearly 200 mph, that’s pretty impressive!

Speed is absolutely everything in a NASCAR race and since the winners are determined often by less than a tenth of a second, going faster is the ultimate imperative. Each stock car must follow specific guidelines, however. This is why NASCAR teamed up with BMI Corporation to further improve aerodynamics while sticking to said guidelines. They ended up using the Rapidform XOR in the process as well.

As a part of the process, they’re using CFD to visualize what changes need to be made in order to get faster speeds. While other teams use wind tunnels, NASCAR is using CFD simulations. To get the vehicle data in the program, however, they’re using the Rapidform XOR, which is a piece of 3D scanning equipment from Konica Minolta. Paired with two CFD programs from Boeing, the combination is a winner. The scanner builds a point cloud of an entire vehicle then Rapidform creates surface information.

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