My Improved Laser Scanner setup

[khalid]

From a week i am working to improve my David Laser scanner setup.. Earlier, I have a stepper motor attached to 1:60 gear box..The output was very coarse with jerks so yesterday i made MDF bearing holders and grabbed teeth Belt and Pulleys from local market..After minor modification the output from the gear box further reduced to 1:7 with timing belt..Now i can scan with very high resolution..Attached is the low resolution scan from free version of David Laser scanner..Its smoothness and interpolation kept to one..You can see how small the object with details...
The green laser pointer was gifted by my friend Richard..i made a teflon attachment with a lens to convert it into Line laser...

This improvement of setup was carried out because i want to make some ball-claw legs for the table i am machining.. The idea was to take the leg of hen and insert a marble ball into claw and scan...


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[mitch_prest]

you are truly amazing

mitch

[rb99]

Very cool...now we just have to get you some ball nose bits!

RIB

[khalid]

Thanks Mitch and Richard..
Richard..That was the Green Laser Pen pointer you gifted me a while ago... I dismantled it , solder two wires and added trigger button and install a line making lens... Also i added 3V adopter input to it and sealled all other voltage outputs..

Now it would be great if someone can send me few ball nose bits 1/8" or 3mm... If they are long shank it will be used on my indexer

[burchbot]

Richard wrote
Very cool...now we just have to get you some ball nose bits!
We could all we need to do is take up a collection.
I would give $20.00
Dan

[khalid]

Dan.. Thanks for contribution
... Some more work on laser scanner..This time i change the setting and scan the Grape Leaf..

Just look at the details...


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[woodworx]

HELLO NASA! HIRE THIS GUY!

[rb99]

Wow! Do you focus the camera?

Can you explain how it works and what is actually happening?

Good work!

Richard

[khalid]

Thanks to all of you for watching this and some good comments.. but Mr.Rank i am not that able to work with that highly standard reputable NASA ;)...However your this comment is very very motivating and valuable to me...

Richard, Currently I am using David Laser Scanning software Version 2.3.4 (Demo).. It let me scan the object in high resolution mode but restrict me to save the *.Obj file in low resolution..Attached is the grape file with low resolution save...This low resolution has still fine details in it ..

I am using Logitech 9000 Pro web cam with low cost chinese green laser that is gifted by YOU (thanks for that).. I converted this 12US Dollar 10mW green laser pointer into the Line laser by adding an adapter and a grooved lens from other low cost red line laser (5mW 3.4US dollar gifted again by YOU)..Again Thanks..

I control my Laser with the help of Steppermotor which is attached to reduction gearbox 1:60 (purchased from junk yard) and then i further reduced the RPM of gear box output shaft by adding 1:7 ration tooth belt Pulleys.. Now its a complex mathematics involved to calculate ...

I am attaching the leaf 3D model( saved in low resolution due to DEMO restrictions).. Anybody can play with it..


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[khalid]

How it looks in Artcam..It is just brought into Artcam, Only Height is reduced..No sculpting...The lighting in Artcam concealing the details... However it can be ready for machining within minutes..


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[rb99]

Really good job.

Is there other software programs that function like David Laser?

How much detail are you loosing in the low res save?

How big can you scan?

Thanks,

Richard

[khalid]

Hi Richard.. so far the best and very low cost software and hardware setup is David Laser scanner..They are improving it day and night...

I am doing scan with 900 x 720 resolution.. Whereas i get it save with 320 x 300 (just like that) resolution...

I can scan the big house if you can give me a big crane and some high power laser ;).. i have to make some big calibration panel..

I can also use Planless scanning technique in that software... in this technique i will make a calibration scan and then i can move anywhere and do repetitive scan without calibration panels...

Now just imagine..you can scan chunk by chunk and finally you merge all those scans you will get one big very high resolution scan..

Just in search of some more leaves..I saw Orange hanging in the home Lawn.. One orange with two leaves... I am using thick laser line with CAM view during scan..Its more than 6Px... and just see the orange peel effect..

Now should i eat it?.. Is it radioactive ;).. I don't wana be Hulk ;)


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[mikeacg]

Khalid,

The texture is incredible - and now that I understand how Aspire works with texture mapping I think I may have to pay more attention to your setup! Please continue to post such great ideas!

Mike

[khalid]

Mike..thanks you like it.. its the precision of this software and my setup that you are getting the tiny details like that very low depth texture pits on peels...

Its not my idea, i am just a user..thanks goes to David, Simon and Sven ;)

[geneb]

This is just awesome!

Have you been able to get a 360 degree scan of an object yet?

g.

[khalid]

Gene..No problem i can make 360 degree scan and can stitch it as accurate as can be done with commercial scanners... You will find no deformation and non-linearity in that stitching.. Currently i am just experimenting and tweaking the software..as soon as i get it tweaked, my next move will be make a CNC turntable and then i will make 360 degree rotation scans.. Currently i can do 360 degree by rotating the object manually and taking scans ...


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[shoeshine]

Richard, I'm in for a twenty. you want to coordinate? we could paypal you.

[rb99]

Sure ...but is there not someone who has an extra bit or two they could send to Khalid?

RIB

[burchbot]

Extra bits? Guys at work would ask me if I had a extra cigarette. I said no I plan on smoking them all.
Dan

[khalid]

Thanks Chris , Richard and Dan.. I just need one or two bits (not more than that...Greed is curse ;))...I have no bad luck with breaking bit
.. My last bit ( that is still working) is more than 3-years old with a lot of Donkey work ;)

I watched the JIM carved Chess Pieces.. They are huge
.. These Chess pieces were scanned by Guy Mathew, The master of scanning and 4th axis work.. He is really a great guy...He did some work on my above posted leaf, and that was excellent...
I don't know what was the size of actual chess piece he scanned for the James Mcgrew AKA Jim?

Today i did a Fast scan (10 minutes) of a small toy... The toy is kept with needle for comparison.. It was a shiny and glossy so i missed some details especially the Chain at the head top...This chain and other details become more worsed when i saved them in low resolution OBJ file ( due to demo version)...


Nest time i will spray it with Dye Penetrant Developer .. i hope i will get a fine details of it...


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PS:
1- These scans were saved in low-resolution due to Demo software limitations...

2- These are two scans merged...

[khalid]

Some more work i did .. I also scanned a coin with nice results..but i will post it later...

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[khalid]

I wish i scan this beautiful door AKA " Door of Paradise" of Baptistery in Florence....

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[khalid]

This is my last test scan.. Now on-forward i will make a turntable to make 360 degree scan...


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[khalid]

and the results


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[geneb]

Amazing. I can't wait to see what you can pull of with the 360 degree table.


g.

[khalid]

Further improvements were carried out in my laser scanning setup... Now i calibrate once for REFERENCE scanning and after this i no need calibration panel..My setup is portable now..Means I just have one calibration perform at my home and can move it any where and start scanning..

A big advantage you can scan big objects and then merge all the scan..


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[pma32904]

Looks like an interesting setup, but the round target paper (with dots) is confusing me. Is this the target for calibration? I assume the other items are put in place later and scanned with the previous calibration points?

Is this portable enough to scan in the field without being chased by police? ;-)

Paul

[navigator7]

Kahlid,
I used to be a tug captain and worked on the water for 20 years.
A moth-balled ship docked where I worked was purchased. It was a NOAA research ship. The new owners didn't like the shape of the bow. The plan was to turn the ship into a fake sailing vessel so they wanted a much longer bow. They wanted to build the new bow in another country and attach the bow upon the arrival of the ship.

The cruise line that purchased the ship hired a company to laser shoot the ships bow to make a take off. The laser guys were not as common sense as one might think. I was just getting into this high tech stuff so I was intrigued with the process.
They shot the bow at pre-placed reflectors...about every foot and slowly the bow...or one half of the bow started taking shape on a puter screen. I was just an interested bystander doing other things. But the laser guys were miffed...they said the image was fuzzy.
When I overheard this, I interrupted and said.....Of course it's fuzzy, the ship is moving!
They had obvious never been around the water. They were stunned when I proved to them the ship was moving around 2' or 3' at a wack. They had no idea.
Then... they had no idea how to fix it.
What was supposed to be a 2 hour in and out became a weekend. They hired me to weld angle iron on the ship to make a platform to hold the laser.
It came out perfect!

Then I asked them what they were going to do about the other side?

Isn't it the same? they asked.
No!
So I flipped the ship for them and re-did the whole process. One side was about 1.5' different than the other side.

Evidently the data was worth it to them as they doubled my fee for solving the problem.

What I'm getting at is it seems like the data gathering was a wee bit different for them than the method you use. Do you know what they might be using?

This was about 1999.

[khalid]

Paul and Chuck, thanks for posting...Paul the round target paper is nothing to do with this setup..

Chuck, you are a genius
and a good problem solver... I don't know what equipment they used at that old times..Currently the laser scanning equipment are sophisticated and you just have to support it with hands and start scanning..

My setup is portable now, i have to calibrate my setup once ( and if the setup is not disturb i no more need calibration after word)...

Attached is the 360 degree scan of the Deer..

[khalid]

Thanks for watching...

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[khalid]

I am reading David's Forum from a couple of years...But a tetra-couple of months ago,I tested this great software with a Free Version...Even my crude setup gave me very good results...I continued to improve my setup day and night and getting improved results... The time has come when my scans were so good that i was in need to save those scans in High Resolution mode..In the mean time Sven and Simon put their best in David, a planless feature, communication with COM and SL functionality...

I know that David is a very low-cost solution for all of us having Home-setup and hobbiest... and I also know that the great minds their are always thinking of increasing the functionality of this software.. The VISION of David team is great....

Furthermore, I saw many helping hands in this forum like Greg, Walter, Gunter, Mattia, Ray and all of the David community...

This compelled me to buy this great software..But the revolution didn't come in one day.. I started collecting money throughout the year to improve my setup and to buy this software...

and Today was the day of extreme happiness when i recieved the USB in a very good packaging.... Now I am able to scan and save in High Resolution Mode.. Thanks Sven and Simon and all the helping hands



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[mikeacg]

Khalid,
The sky is the limit now! Your last scans are incredible! I look forward to your continued developments now that you have even better tools.
Mike

[myxpykalix]

I think its time for you to start carving some of these scans now khalid. We want to see a finished prouct! good going...

[khalid]

Thanks Mike...

I am currently improving my Hardware setup..My current setup is a little heavy... I want to make some very low cost and light weight portable setup...My experimentation proved the software is great...
Some of my recent hardware addition is

1- A 1:60 ratio gear from Car Viper Motor scraped . Qty:01Ea ($5 US)
2- Small steppers from salvaged Printers($13 US)..Qty:04 Ea)

and Offcourse I will put them in Hair Dryer ... Don't say this to my wife;)


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[khalid]

Hi,
So far i was working on the control Hardware (electronics) for David Laser Scanner.. Following videos shows the electronic stuff completion for my Scanner..

Now i have to make a little box with 12V exhaust Fan on it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd6dnXZheZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5ai12jGbbo

Sorry for my bad English in the videos ...

[magic]

Please do not apologize for your english. It is fine.

You are a very smart man.

[khalid]

Thanks Magic
... Yes only smart person can servive among the smart persons..

[frank134]

that is so cool.that really great work and a good video. I was wonder if you could use the parts from a flat bed scanner?

[khalid]

Thanks Frank and Yes .. I removed the cathode lamp from the flat bed scanner and controlled it with Arduino without using Relay..But the light was not enough to capture a good texture shot..

Soon i will put another video of whole setup working and controlling through David Laser Scanner software...

Here is a picture that i mounted on Car viper motor Gear box... You can see i made a cheap 1/2 dollar arrangment to bend Acrylic sheet with the help of heat...


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