My Laser scanner setup and Results

[khalid]

To my all shopbot friends... Sometime customer brings something to replicat on CNC machine and we regret the job due to complexity or outsource it to some scanning agency to provide the 3D model.

Now why not to make a simple scanner yourself!! Hmmm.. I will pay high compliments to Simon and Sven for creating a low cost software and setup known as 'David Laser Scanner'.

My progress on it so far so good. I have no Line Laser available so made it with a simple Point laser. My setup is very crude, nobody can get excellent results from it (and i am nobody)...However i will improve as the time pass and experience comes in.

I don't know whether this thread links to shopbot or not (Admin has right to warn me and delete this thread)... but i will show you all that this is the great tool for shopbotters..

I have somehow manage to get some locally available stuff for this scanner setup (Total 22 US dollars).. I will keep improving on by the help of you all.


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A line laser 5mW is available on dealextreme website with 4.02 US dollar price but paypal do not provide servise here in Pakistan...so i make a simple line generator with <3mW laser.

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My very low cost webcam available here in Pakistan (18 US dollars)

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and the Washing machine timer for moving the laser up/down motion ;) it cost me 1us dollars

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My laser in action

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and offcourse i have the free version of David Laser Scanner software. This software can save the 3D object on lower resoultion free. I wish i have the full version

[khalid]

I got plaster of paris molding and experimented on it...

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The first experimental results on that molding... its not good but atleast it gave me courage to improve the setup...

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And the improved results of molding after improving the lighting condition of my room...Once i succeed in getting good results it will be benefit me in replicating the beautiful work...


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[rb99]

You deserve the prize for the best in the world!

Cheers,

Richard

[khalid]

Thank You Richard and thanks for the prize too
...

Today i did another model. This object is too dark with black paint and shiny. (David takes black color as HOLE)!!!. I just coated a little bit Talcum powder and scanned it... Still to do lot of improvement....


Original Object

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Scanned it twice and merge the results..

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Final result after merging


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[carlosgmarroquin]

Your work inspires me to learn everything it crosses my path.

[bcammack]

And I put myself forth as a "Practical Technologist"... I am humbled, sir, in your presence!

[myxpykalix]

Khalid,
you are my hero!

[cabindoors]

Khalid, You are an inspiration!

[mikeacg]

Amazing my friend! I can't wait to see what you do next!!

Mike

[khalid]

Mr. Carlos G. Marroquín, Mr.Brett C. Cammack, Mr. jack jarvis, Mr.Tom Justin and Mr.Michael P. Schnorr I am proud of you all... I really love to watch the comments from you the Great men... and thanks for all of your love to me
hmmm.. i am very humble.. i did nothing special...The heros are sven and simon for their work on the superb software


After having made many scans and found that the results can be further improved.. So moving toward in engineering way... have to spent some more $$$$$$$$$...

Following is the last scan of mine on old setup with laser driven by 4.5V adapter (i managed to get red of 1.5V cells... They run only 1hr and 3cells cost 1/2 dollars ... so i got 4.5V adapter from the market with the cost of 02 dollars and my laser is running fine..)


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you can see the drawings that i made for my Studio..Now its going to be multi-billion dollar machine... and if economy down my multi-billion $$$$$$$ scanner will be drown ;)


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My next goals are to rotate the model and scan it and merge all the scan to get the perfect 3D model

[gene]

It amazes me how much you do with so little. Keep up the great work . I always have to look at your post as soon as they come up . Keep up the great work as we all are inspired and learn from you.

[khalid]

Thank you Gene for your kind words
... I am greatly obliged and feeling humble for all of your kind words..

[khalid]

Today I did the scan of scroll saw work ... ....Currently I am loosing details as shown in picture...Very soon i will improve my setup and cover the shortcomings.


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[khalid]

Somehow, managed to get the details on the leaf...


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[khalid]

Now moving toward scanning the object all around 360 degree... a complete 3D object.. Following is the scan results (total 06 scans) of the skull...


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[khalid]

Here is the almost complete model...

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[khalid]

As i am committed to attain excellent results from David laser scanner.. so i did following things in last week..

1- I supplied 4.5Volts to my laser with 2 US dollar adapter.. and its running very well..so i made cost saving in 1.5 volts cells.. The three cells costs half dollar and run only 1 hr continuously..


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and very low cost Multivoltage adapters... One for laser power supply other for motor for rotating mirror

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2- My wife sew a Black curtain (Artificial Lather)..and my room is pretty dark..so the quality of scans improved....


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3- DID made many different size calibration boards.. the smallest one has paper attached with squash tape... the panel behind the small has paper glued to it and the last panel you are seeing has adhesive tape on back of the panel.... i brought this paper and photocopy the calibration grid on it..


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4-Borrowed the camera stand from my friend to experiment plan-less scanning....


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[khalid]

Okay..here is the Antique piece that is being used from 1000 of years and its still being used in many countries... This is very special thing ;)..Guess what??

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[pma32904]

Khalid,
I am inspired by your work and have enjoyed seeing it over many postings! I have started using David 3D Laser scan and have a question. What is the round paper with the large and small dots under the Antique tea pot? I assume it's a rotary target similar to the background calibration pattern in David 3D, but I can not find any information on it.
Thank you,
Paul

[khalid]

Paul.. 'Rotary Target' has nothing to do with David laser scanner setup.. Its another setup for 3D model making and i used it for rotation of model only...

As far as the Tea Pot is concerned..its actually not a Tea pot..its called LOTA here that is used for ablution ;)

I improved my laser setup..I did work on my 1:60 ratio gearbox (i bought it from junk yard US8$).....i made a mount for stepper motor and gearbox and engage them with coupling ;) I am getting drastic improvement in my scanning..Now i am interpolating at 1~2... that gives good resolution.. I also mounted the Gear setup on the camera stand..and it work perfect...


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[pma32904]

Khalid,

Thank you for explaining the paper target and the Lota. This is more important than my guess of tea pot.

The mask scans are quite good, so the 60:1 reduction from the stepper for laser elevation seems to help. I did not understand the 1~2 interpolation.

Paul

[mikeacg]

Wow! It looks like you are getting very close to mastering this! Thanks for sharing!!

[khalid]

Thanks Michael...I am still not satisfied for my scans... However, I am very very near to get the best results out of David Laser scanner...

Paul

During scanning of an object, The slower the laser line moves the lesser the gaps between two scanned lines...The nearest the (X,Y,Z) points between two lines..Means Higher the resolution... The faster the line moves you will get gaps between the two scanned lines... This gap is smoothen by interpolating the and generating new data points in-between the two scanned lines... These interpolations fill the gaps of the scanned objects...The greater the gaps the lesser details you will get..

The Gearing down and stepper mechanism helps in getting higher details and consequently less interpolation by the software...

[mikeacg]

Khalid,

In looking at the scan of the apple, it appears that lighting is a major part of a good scan as well. By tipping the object a bit to cast a shadow on the stem, you managed to pick up the lines on the leaves and got depth on the stem as well. What kind of lights are you using now?

Mike

[khalid]

You know the David works excellent in Dark ...i.e No light... David want to see only laser... My laser was not strong enough so i got very little details.. If i do scan the same now with my Green Laser (a Gift from Buddy)...The results will be astonishing...

Where is your setup Mike???

[mikeacg]

Khalid,

No time my friend. I am still working two jobs and just trying to keep up with it all. I am looking at a fourth-axis setup for my Roland so I can do some 3D work but for now I am just using my probe to scan stuff. I'm looking forward to the end of my contract for my daytime gig so I can spend more time 'playing' with my machines! In the meantime, I'll just keep watching you and learning!!

Mike

[khalid]

I have always good wishes to you Mike.. I wonder How you do scan with the Probe... Its very very slow and time consuming...

Meanwhile Mr. Richard Bouchard (Hi Buddy) sent me a very Powerful (10mW), beautiful Green Laser Pointer from Dealextreme website.. It will really helpful for quality scans.... Thanks Richard
Your gift is very valuable to me
I will never forget your this kind gesture




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[myxpykalix]

Richard That was a cool thing to do. It just goes to show you what a good group of guys we have here. I have never seen a green laser is there anything different with it other than it being a different color?

[rb99]

It will burn through 6" steel plate!

No, Khalid says it works best with cameras. I guess that is why it is green screen, not red screen...

RB

[khalid]

As we Know, there are Three basic colors (RGB)... Coloured Cameras are sensitive to the colours per following ratios:

Red: 25%
Green: 50%
Blue: 25%

It means you can get double the details with green colour filter as compared to Red and Blue... So We use Green lasers to acquire sharp and highly detailed scans...

If you have Red, Green and Blue laser of same Power say 10mW..The camera will show the green laser very vivid and bright as compared to red and blue...

This pictures shows the Pixels of RGB


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This pictures shows the layer of pixels..and u can see clearly that the green are double than the Red and Blue...

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See the sharp and clear image of green filter...

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[cabnet636]

thanks kahlid!! i just learned something!!

jim

[khalid]

James... We all are learning... Each shopbotter have a Unique skill here, so everybody for some time become a mentor and others become Apprentice;)...