Matter and Form Scanner - The Perfect Learning Platform for 3D Scanning

Every now and then, one stumbles across a product that exceeds your wildest expectations.  For me, one of those remarkable products is the Matter and Form 3D scanner.

Matter and Form Scanner

And also, for me, the surprise was in finding out just useful the Matter and Form scanner can be in experimenting and researching the best practices for capturing 3D objects using a 3D scanner of any type.

Experimentation Requires Constants

Real progress in experimentation and research requires some constants.  For instance, scientists at the National Institutes of Health may run a single experiment over many years and they often require that a regent must be from the same batch each time that regent is purchased over the years.  they need that consistency.

Hand-held scanners are, by nature, fluid in their processes.  That is, the exact processes used change each time, even when scanning the same object.  It is almost impossible to recreate the scanning process from one session to another.  And, this introduces more variables than we might like when trying to study the affect of lighting and other factors.

With the Matter and Form scanner it is possible to replicate the very same scan setup over and over in exactly the same manner, letting the user decide which variables will be changed for each session.  This provides the experimenter with the control required to study changes in a single parameter.

In my case, wanting to learn all I could about lighting for 3D scanning has been a long-time goal.

Because of my background in video production and photography, I feel very confident lighting any situation in those two arenas.  But, when I tried applying what I know when lighting for 3D scanning, nothing seemed to make sense.  Every session with a handheld scanner was a shot in the dark and even though I could usually pull off a scan, I never really felt confident that it was the best that could be achieved.  There were just too many loose variables in every scanning session.

Narrowing the Focus to Turntable Based Scanning

We have used the Sense, iSense and xyzPrinting scanners in two different ways:

1. We walk around the Object.
2. We turn the object using a turntable.

The way light behaves relative to the object is VERY different between these two techniques. In the first case, the direction of the light is always constant relative to the object.  In the second case, the light source is static; but, the object, itself, changes relative to the light source in a full 360 degree rotation.  So, sometimes the light is shining on the front of the object and other times it is shining on the back.  This is an unnatural situation that often shows up as artifacts in the final result.

It was seeing if I could find a reasonable solution to this reality that I wanted to explore with the Matter and Form 3D scanner.  I somehow had to find a way to flatten the light source for the least amount of negative effects in the final scanned output.  And, I had the perfect test object to use for the experimental process.

Roly-Poly Metal Tin from Chein Industries

Chein Industries manufactured tin toys and containers in the first half of the 20th century.  This Santa is highly reflective and round.  It would be challenging to light in any situation; but, especially challenging to light for 3D scanning using a turntable.

Here is a link to my first scan...

https://bevelpix.com/creations/5e153984761dfe666220896d

Notice thata asa the object is rotated, there aren't just two highlights.  There are more than two which were captured while the object was rotating this is what I hope to overcome. 

The Attempts aided by Matter & Form's Consistency

I wish I could report that all is solved.  That is NOT the case. While we are closer to achieving flat lighting, which would be perfectly fine with normal objects, this particular shape and reflectivity is still a bit of a challenge.  But, that is OK.  Along the way I have learned an enormous amount about alternate light sources and modifiers.  It's been an amazing quest with real personal satisfaction coming with each discovery.

We've tried various soft tents, LED camera lights, Halo-bar lighting, lenticular lenses and some marvelously inexpensive tracing tablets that create almost perfect lighting for small photography.  each of these ppaths has brought a new level of understanding about lighting in general and 3D color scanning in particular.

And, it looks like we are coming to a soft landing with results that are clearly better than when we started the adventure.  Perhaps more importantly, I've come to have a much deeper appreciation for the Matter and Form 3D scanner and I don't know why it took us so long to find it!