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Thread: Plug and play 3d laser scanner?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    7

    Default Plug and play 3d laser scanner?

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    I have a c. 2015 PRS A 48x96 with a jtech photonics laser mounted on the y gantry. I also have a digitizing probe in order to make a detailed scan of piano action stacks (I make custom piano keyboards for high end concert grand pianos and colleges). The scan must be 3d and appx .05" wide by 52" long probing every 0.01". (the average length of the action stack.) This allows us to probe the exact position of the existing holes along the hammer rail. (88 holes appx every 0.5" with spaces for action brackets every 20-30 notes depending on the make and model of piano.)

    However the probe ties up the shopbot for a appx 8-12 hours depending on the size piano. Normally this isnt an issue because we set the probe to do its thing overnight and analyze the scan the next morning. However, about 1/4 of the probes are failures for one reason or another and we must restart the probe during working hours. This is a problem if our production schedule requires the shopbot for milling, drilling, or lasering that day.

    I do not have a second shopbot since I am a small business and also do not have the shop space for two. Maybe in the future or if I can duplicate traditional key-making processes on the shopbot which would clear out more shop space (which I have done for about 5 large machines already!).

    So this lead me to believe a 3d laser scanner would be a near necessity for not only speed, but supposed reliability and higher resolution (supposedly). However I came across 3 stumbling blocks.
    1)Cost: my budget is about $2K
    2)It has to somewhat plug and play. i.e. compatible with the shopbot/vetrics
    a. I've installed a jtech photonics laser with very little difficulty and
    since it came with a post processor and installation instructions this
    is my standard for "plug and play"
    3)Has to have an file format which is readable by AutoCad (.dxf) in
    order to have a somewhat seamless transition from the digitizing
    probe to the 3d scanner.

    I understand this is a substantial xmas wish list (so to speak) but since the digitizing probe can do it physically, why shouldn't a 3d scanning laser be able to? And should there be a scanner that can be controlled via a post processor in vetrics?

    So either there is something currently I just havent found after significant research into the topic, there is an ad-hoc solution im not thinking of, or the tech simply doesnt exist yet. (like the phone, the mp3 player, and the camera were before the iphone) I can see all the peices but havent a clue on how to put them together.

    Any ideas?

    p.s. Im an American user so all measurements are in imperial not metric. (were working on it....)
    Last edited by cybertunerone; 12-18-2020 at 10:26 AM.

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