3D Scans and Reverse Engineering in Fusion 360

[Anonymous]

I am currently investigating purchasing a 3D scanner to help me in creating CAD models of existing parts. The parts I want to model are mostly injection-molded plastic shells for things like consumer electronics, but I want to end up with a parametric model rather than just a mesh. The parts I am reverse engineering often have complex spline-style curves, which I can't just readily model using my trusty old caliper and bevel protractor. So a 3D scanner seems like a good way to capture those curves without having to physically cut the original parts, trace the curves in 2D, and then scan and trace into a Fusion sketch.

I'm looking at the Einscan Pro scanner. It's about $4k. I'm just a hobbyist, so I'd rather not drop that kind of money unless I'm pretty confident I can use it to achieve my purposes with Fusion. Does anybody have experience doing this kind of thing with Fusion 360?

My concerns are:

• I remember reading there is a limit on the number of polygons a mesh can have for import into Fusion. Perhaps this has increased since I read the number, but I remember thinking it was much smaller than most 3D scan poly counts. Anybody know what the limit is now?
• I saw in a YouTube tutorial someone offhandedly reference that there was a way to divide a mesh (in the new Mesh workspace) up into planes/sections of that mesh and use it to create splines that give you the contours of the mesh. Is this true? That's exactly what I want, as if I can get the basic curves of a scanned geometry, some basic extrusions and lofts will give me a parametric version pretty easily. But I can't find any info on this new functionality.
• How is size calibration handled? Do most scanners work out the real-world physical size of the object? Or is there some way to calibrate a mesh to its real-world size based on two known points (like we do with canvasses)?

Any insights or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[Anonymous]

I am currently investigating purchasing a 3D scanner to help me in creating CAD models of existing parts. The parts I want to model are mostly injection-molded plastic shells for things like consumer electronics, but I want to end up with a parametric model rather than just a mesh. The parts I am reverse engineering often have complex spline-style curves, which I can't just readily model using my trusty old caliper and bevel protractor. So a 3D scanner seems like a good way to capture those curves without having to physically cut the original parts, trace the curves in 2D, and then scan and trace into a Fusion sketch.

I'm looking at the Einscan Pro scanner. It's about $4k. I'm just a hobbyist, so I'd rather not drop that kind of money unless I'm pretty confident I can use it to achieve my purposes with Fusion. Does anybody have experience doing this kind of thing with Fusion 360?

My concerns are:

• I remember reading there is a limit on the number of polygons a mesh can have for import into Fusion. Perhaps this has increased since I read the number, but I remember thinking it was much smaller than most 3D scan poly counts. Anybody know what the limit is now?
• I saw in a YouTube tutorial someone offhandedly reference that there was a way to divide a mesh (in the new Mesh workspace) up into planes/sections of that mesh and use it to create splines that give you the contours of the mesh. Is this true? That's exactly what I want, as if I can get the basic curves of a scanned geometry, some basic extrusions and lofts will give me a parametric version pretty easily. But I can't find any info on this new functionality.
• How is size calibration handled? Do most scanners work out the real-world physical size of the object? Or is there some way to calibrate a mesh to its real-world size based on two known points (like we do with canvasses)?

Any insights or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[SC_Precision]

@masterskywalkerog yes, there are many different ways to work from scan data.  In this case I chose to use the data as a visual guide and develop "real" CAD geometry from it. 

[SC_Precision]

@masterskywalkerog yes, there are many different ways to work from scan data.  In this case I chose to use the data as a visual guide and develop "real" CAD geometry from it. 

[masterskywalkerog]

i was thinking of that . importing it n finding a way to trace it or soemthing 

[masterskywalkerog]

i was thinking of that . importing it n finding a way to trace it or soemthing 

[Anonymous]

I would like some help understanding the process you have been developing. 

My main objective is to scan or otherwise reverse engineer 1/32 scale model car bodies and import them into fusion 360.  

The end result required is a scaled up (1/5 scale) milled male pattern that I can take to a local thermoforming company. I race 1/5 scale Rc cars and would like to make the bodies with some modifications. 

I am ok with slicing up the existing 1/32 scale die cast car model but would rather have a 3D solid model to work with because I need to add features as well as add a base for the thermoforming 

  Any help on this would be great. 

[Anonymous]

I would like some help understanding the process you have been developing. 

My main objective is to scan or otherwise reverse engineer 1/32 scale model car bodies and import them into fusion 360.  

The end result required is a scaled up (1/5 scale) milled male pattern that I can take to a local thermoforming company. I race 1/5 scale Rc cars and would like to make the bodies with some modifications. 

I am ok with slicing up the existing 1/32 scale die cast car model but would rather have a 3D solid model to work with because I need to add features as well as add a base for the thermoforming 

  Any help on this would be great. 

[Braxton08]

Fusion 360 New Add-in supports Microscribe 3d -  Faro arm and Romer arm

Yes 3d  digitizing is now supported   https://www.reverseengineering.com/

Microscribe 3d -  Faro arm and Romer arm

contact Support@reverseengineering.com

[Braxton08]

Fusion 360 New Add-in supports Microscribe 3d -  Faro arm and Romer arm

Yes 3d  digitizing is now supported   https://www.reverseengineering.com/

Microscribe 3d -  Faro arm and Romer arm

contact Support@reverseengineering.com

[susan.johnsonUP6LR]

Has anyone tried scanning in an organic form with the goal of creating a solid in Fusion 360 and/or used the LiDAR on an iPad Pro in their scanning process?

I wish to scan someone's arm with the intent of creating a very basic prosthetic socket. My son is an amputee and as a side project to learning Fusion 360 for work I am also developing an adaptation for his bike. The trick is in creating the socket. This doesn't need to be as exact as a professionally cast socket, but I'd like it to be closer than my estimates and simple geometric shapes. My plan is to use a scan as a visual guide that I then build around. I have access to an iPad pro with LiDAR and would appreciate any thoughts anyone has on what might be good software or hardware for this process. I'm even starting to wonder if a local machine shop with a scanner might be open to scanning something out of the ordinary for me.

Thanks!

[susan.johnsonUP6LR]

Has anyone tried scanning in an organic form with the goal of creating a solid in Fusion 360 and/or used the LiDAR on an iPad Pro in their scanning process?

I wish to scan someone's arm with the intent of creating a very basic prosthetic socket. My son is an amputee and as a side project to learning Fusion 360 for work I am also developing an adaptation for his bike. The trick is in creating the socket. This doesn't need to be as exact as a professionally cast socket, but I'd like it to be closer than my estimates and simple geometric shapes. My plan is to use a scan as a visual guide that I then build around. I have access to an iPad pro with LiDAR and would appreciate any thoughts anyone has on what might be good software or hardware for this process. I'm even starting to wonder if a local machine shop with a scanner might be open to scanning something out of the ordinary for me.

Thanks!

[TrippyLighting]

Creating a solid from an imported .stl file can be relatively simple,  but there are multiple possible stumbling blocks and traps that can be hard to navigate for a beginner or even a seasoned CAD veteran who hasn't had to deal with these hybrid workflows. If you run into problems, my recommendation would be to create a new thread as that gets better visibility.

I assume that the output from the iPad scan will be a .stl.

I've created this tutorial a good while ago, which explains one method of how to "convert" .stl files into solid bodies for further modeling in Fusion 360:

[TrippyLighting]

Creating a solid from an imported .stl file can be relatively simple,  but there are multiple possible stumbling blocks and traps that can be hard to navigate for a beginner or even a seasoned CAD veteran who hasn't had to deal with these hybrid workflows. If you run into problems, my recommendation would be to create a new thread as that gets better visibility.

I assume that the output from the iPad scan will be a .stl.

I've created this tutorial a good while ago, which explains one method of how to "convert" .stl files into solid bodies for further modeling in Fusion 360:

[cekuhnen]

@susan.johnsonUP6LR 

Hey I can help you with the lidar topic.

In short however lidar alone won’t be enough  but lidar assisted photogrammetry is

as Steve Jobs said there is an app for that

but our app is not published yet - still in test flight.

If you have interest contact me

info @ Ckbrd.de 

[cekuhnen]

@susan.johnsonUP6LR 

Hey I can help you with the lidar topic.

In short however lidar alone won’t be enough  but lidar assisted photogrammetry is

as Steve Jobs said there is an app for that

but our app is not published yet - still in test flight.

If you have interest contact me

info @ Ckbrd.de