It’s Time To Put A 3D Scanner In Your Toolbox

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Some good scanning videos:
Great video on the Einstar: • The best Consumer 3D S...
Good scanner comparison: • Which 3D Scanner is be...
Good video on how to use your scan to reverse engineer: • Reverse Engineering fr...
Car scan. long but shows the process: • Is Einstar the Best Co...
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[@davidwbrower]

In manufacturing we saved a bunch of money on targets by attaching them to thin plexiglass strips with magnets for large metal surfaces. We could re-use them for other projects down the line (as long as it's not the same scan since it'll confuse the software). Helps with clean up too since you don't have to pull off as many individual targets!

[@joebrodie]

Great idea! Why not small sheets of transparency paper (like the old school college projectors) with a bunch of targets on them? Not great for deep curves, but you could place a bunch of sheets on a hood and a few where there is more difficult geometry.

[@ezanchi5422]

Wouldn't the depth of the plexiglass mess up the measurements/dimensions of the final result?

[@TokyoChopSquad]

@@joebrodie Oh man, I forgot about the Elmo projectors!

[@dsfs17987]

@@ezanchi5422 no, it uses the centers of the reflective sticker for reference, the flat surface data gets tied to the points, wherever they are (protruding from that flat surface), the software simply cannot tell where it is when it is looking at a flat, that is all there are options in that software to use texture of the flat to align itself, but a car paint for instance has no texture, just color (simply speaking), but that is quite unstable, it may lose position and again you need to start over, and if there are not enough reference points, it won't stitch the scans together later, so - use points :)

[@joeofloath]

Does blutack/silly putty work? Would be convenient to store the targets squished up into a ball!

[@bobulele]

All hail the algorithm.

[@Noise-Bomb]

The algorithm shall prevail!

[@jonathanwilcox2003]

​@@Noise-Bomb 😂😂😂

[@jonathanwilcox2003]

😂😂😂😂

[@gkraker04]

Hail!

[@DC_DC_DC_DC]

Heil!

[@Sn0w1981]

Finally a use for the dust my projects gather!

[@SuperfastMatt]

When I bought the Viper, I told the guy "Don't wash it! I need that dirt for scanning."

[@Sn0w1981]

@@SuperfastMatt Haha! They'll soon charge extra for that now!

[@rickjoyce637]

@@SuperfastMatt I’d like to learn Fusion360 so I can do something like your Jaaaaag EV conversion. Do you have any recommendations for classes(paid or otherwise)?

[@gsmdo8836]

Another excellent example of a complex subject explained simply - many thanks Matt 👍

[@virgulinoferreira3472]

The video is six minutes old, and it shows your comment as 12 hours ago?

[@SuperfastMatt]

Patreon supporters get videos the day before they come out.

[@jcorkable]

@@SuperfastMatt man, I wish I wasn’t poor

[@blackfrost273industries4]

​@@SuperfastMatt allhailthralgoryhthm, still love your brain and videos. You've given a good time and good ideas. Although I'm about four decades from being capable of 3d scanning, I've learned a lot and this one is by far, the most relevant data filled ever. I mean, EVER. You've single handedly answered all of my questions you cannot Google or Facebook groups. Those are partly negative gatekeeping on what I've found. So yes, fresh air. Much so

[@KO-pk7df]

What he said!

[@paint4pain]

I used geomagic studio instead of meshlab a few years ago and the best feature was the surface finding, you paint a part of the mesh and click "Find surface plane" or "Find cylinder" super usefull once you bring it into solidworks.

[@gabriels.713]

Isn't geomagic obscenely expensive

[@rigon63]

​@@gabriels.713 Yes lol it is

[@gabriels.713]

@@rigon63 It's the exact reason I indefinitely postponed some of my projects lol

[@gabriels.713]

@@jheins3 Holy shit, I am totally going to check this out! EDIT: Damn it looks like it's only a free trial and after that is just a mesh viewer or something. I haven't actually tested just yet but am looking at comparison videos

[@jheins3]

@@gabriels.713 They have played around with the licensing since they were bought out by Zeiss, however, I believe it says free trial - but its like a year or more, like any other student license (Solidworks, Ansys, Etc.)... and you can always re-register.... I am not sure though as I haven't used it in awhile - but basically it has all the functionality the Pro license has, minus the functionality for production/batch scanning/inspection. Its great for one-off jobs or quick and dirty reverse engineering.

[@kleingarrett55]

Man I have been loving your videos! As a long time CAD user and engineer with dry humor it really get me.

[@kleingarrett55]

Bad grammar included for engineering degree verification

[@rowanw5912]

Blender > File > Import > [your filetype] > Right panel blue wrench icon > Add Modifier > Decimate. I like collapse, and for your purposes and a sub millimeter scan you can go well under 10% without losing much detail (you want to type in the value, dragging the slider around can crash). Always a nice feeling to watch that polycount in the bottom right drop and the fps go up. Blender modifiers are non-destructive, so removing it will undo the changes. You can export with File > Export > [your filetype], just make sure "Apply modifiers" is on. You can also apply the modifier destructively with the dropdown next to "Decimate".

[@miked7728]

I don't have the skills, time, money, or even a garage to do any of this stuff.. yet here I am, endlessly fascinated by it. So cool.

[@sully.varnadoe1472]

Blender has come a long way for remeshing and working on objects, I feel like it might be a better fit than mesh lab for a lot of people.

[@copperthedergy]

i was gonna comment this, its really good in the case of mesh decimation, as its a mesh modifier that you can undo and tweak all you want

[@thumbtak]

I know a guy who used an RV as a mesh lab

[@robertnicholls9917]

How would you rate Autodesk Inventor against Blender?

[@Robinlarsson83]

@@robertnicholls9917 They are not the same kind of tool, not at all really. Yes, both creates 3D models, but in completly different ways. Inventor is actual 3D CAD, professional level at that, and Blender is, well, not CAD (no, not even with the CAD addons). Comparing an apple and a banana is more similar :P

[@andybrice2711]

​@@robertnicholls9917 They're very different. Blender is a mesh-based programme better for amorphous sculpting, animation, and VFX. Inventor is solid-body parametric CAD, better for engineering parts. Fusion 360 is essentially a budget version of Inventor though.

[@MadLadCustoms]

Matt, appreciate your in depth videos on your endeavors. This is the exact thing all of us do and you put it all out there for free, much respect can't wait to see the final on the build! 🤟

[@LandbO1984]

A pro tip: Try change one ceiling light to another shade. The processing runs smooth afterwards For the floor, many scan tools has the options to set IDs for objects and subs. Select the floor id and hit select all, and delete. Remember to cover the floor with a color you dont have on the scanned object or a color that is not near the floor

[@minSUCCC]

I watched the Making for Motorsport videos on this scanner a while back so the einstar has been on my radar for a while now. Great to see that you've had good success with it!

[@107cdb]

This is better 3D scanning training than everything Zeiss offers combined.

[@enemyspotted2467]

Their training is terrible, but not nearly as bad as their customer service. I have that hotline number memorized. Excellent machines once you figure out how to use them

[@lgrfbs]

Thanks for the recipe for the scanner spray mix, this is the first time I've heard of an easy way to powder an object for 3D scanning. THANK YOU!

[@gerikbensing]

I may have to finally buy one of these! I used one back in university 10 years ago or so and the teacher I borrowed it from ended up building a whole semester’s lesson plan around the scan I made of our college’s founder’s statue. Scan object, work with scan, 3D print, use model for machining, make vacuum formed parts, etc. I’ve got several projects around my Durango I’d like to do but keep putting off due to the complexity of the measurements I’d need to take. I may finally be able to buy my way out of this predicament without breaking the bank too horribly!

[@dsp4392]

Absolutely love the dry humor. I was already a fan of scanning stuff for CAD, did plenty of it when I built my custom ebike, but I really appreciate the foot spray tip. Much better than the super expensive 3d scanning sprays and less messy (probably) than my current method of sprinkling flour on the objects.

[@Map71Vette]

I've been eagerly anticipating this video. This has been on my gift list for a while now. Seems like the best bang for the buck scanner out there today that makes any kind of sense for a tinkerer at least.

[@willofthemaker]

This is fantastic. Dont know how i havent seen your channel before, its right up my alley. Subbed!

[@johnswilley6764]

I came for the scanner, then stayed for the info, and presentation! Great job BTW; also subscribed. Thanx!

[@monkeybarmonkeyman]

I'll probably never get or use one of these scanner, but the software/hardware geek inside me says "Wow.. it is a pretty amazing time to be working in a garage!" Thanks for this video - and I am so looking forward to all your content this year.

[@Rocketkid2121]

Wow thanks for this video and you just earned yourself a subscribe. I have just spent the better part of two weeks trying to figure out how to reverse engineer the front of an airplane from 3D scans with the same scanner, trying to get it to a solid model so I could work on it. This helped me realize I can work with the scan without turning it into a complete model. What a relief, I never would have finished.

[@Oleg-oe1rc]

Lol, just recently found your channel and this video perfectly answers what I was wondering from watching the offraod viper build. Seen a lot of these scanners before and this is the first I'd seriously consider, also doesn't hurt that I just built a tiny PC with RTX3090ti and i7-12700k. Glad I subscribed, keep up the good work!

[@poprawa]

All three of my engines that i considered working on have cylinders out of round by a lot, thanks for tips how to avoid complex measurement - saved me a lot of time!

[@nevillecreativitymentor]

Love the video and the commentary ... CHEERS. Oh yes ... definetly adding this to my "Wish List" and moving it up the list !!! Thanks brother ... needed this info. TRULY.

[@divyajnana]

Fantastic vid on SCANNING! Fast, concise, great editing, script is a riot.....Brilliant...OOO, where'd that come from. I Subscribed, Thank you.

[@user-di3ed3mq2o]

I use monofilament fishing net with markers stuck back to back at the nodes of the net in a random pattern. Easy to reuse, barely shows up on the scan, works in a variety of orientations. Thanks for the great video.

[@LearnEverythingAboutDesign]

Great video Matt! at 6:41 where you mention wanting to "undo" the last 30s. If you pause the scan you can use the cleanup tools in ExScan to select and delete portions of the points. this works pretty well when you get that junk data however if you are using markers or hybrid alignment, i found that the markers stay which can be troublesome. I have noticed, like the deck lid on the viper, with big flat areas if you get double markers these end up needing to be deleted and just redo the entire scan in that project.

[@kevinblakely2144]

Thanks for taking my suggestion from one of your earlier videos Matt!

[@jesscneal]

Mesh Mixer works well for reducing mesh size/poly counts. I've been using a metrology grade Creaform Handyscan 700 for years. It's good to about 3-4 thousandths and the price reflects that. Absolutely indispensable tool for me. Scanning is one of the services I offer and I also scan my own projects. Super cool technology.

[@artemtsvetkov3655]

Love the video, 100% agree! I recently added CR-01 Scanner to my toolbox.

[@icandreamstream]

This is super cool. I’ve been eyeing a much more expensive 3d scanner for years, but couldn’t justify it. This is finally in the “fancy but realistic toy” price point and it seems to do what it says on the tin. +subbed

[@Hobbies4Hire]

Great job on the video Matt! Thanks for making it.

[@FG-418]

Glad to see a real hands on review. I borrowed a 3D System Sense which was about 350$ 10 years ago and struggled a lot with large scans. I shopped again last year, just to see that the equivalent in performance was still 350$. At a 1000$ it still a bit above what I wanted to pay but at least the market is moving toward something actually usable on a car in a garage and affordable.

[@CraigHollabaugh]

Love your comment about not measuring anything anymore, just scan it. My measurement skills suck and look forward to using an einstar (bought one a couple days ago)

[@johnvanness2425]

You're my hero, just thought you should know. Keep up the great work and great energy so I can live vicariously through you.

[@anomamos9095]

There are perforated film sheets that are used to cover windows as sun shades and for printing advertising on that cover windows. As they are electrostatic they are reusable and getting some printed with dots would solve several problems. Also as a light source using incandescent or halogen bulbs connected to a battery to avoid flicker would improve lighting.

[@drkastenbrot]

drawing any random non repeating pattern on the sheet is all you need. the scanner needs to be able to match what the two cameras see.

[@andybrice2711]

That sounds like a good idea. Maybe even better would be lengths of electrostatic tape covered in tracking markers. So you don't have to worry about it creasing in areas of compound curvature.

[@BlackOpsTSI]

Matt, great videos, great info. Any chance you would consider doing a video on how to get from the scan to something you can use to build off. I understand a majority just getting it from a mesh to building off the mesh. Keep up the good work!

[@richardberryhill718]

Really helpful video report, covered so much in clear but easy to grasp detail. I feel like I could go buy one and use it without near the effort of trying to understand “instructions” or figuring it out myself. Thanks!

[@goldengooch1867]

Thank you for this video, Matt. I was looking for a scanner to copy a motorcycle subframe with and this looks perfect.

[@nobiazcustomsinc5030]

Man superfast ALWAYS has the best tricks. Im going to buy a scanner to fab a tube front for the e30. Thanks as always man

[@gusser2121]

you had me chuckling all the way through... love your vids man...

[@rdodds033]

Thanks a ton Matt! This is definitely right up my alley, and I'm super excited to add this to my arsenal.

[@sungear]

So many youtubers ignore safety requirements. I appreciate your good example by protecting your hair with the jeep branded shower cap. You may consider a Review of dodge or Chevy shower caps. Many of us are anxious for the results.

[@Ben_dillon]

Glad to see making for motorsports is getting some much deserved attention

[@troycongdon]

This is so cool. Here I am trying to teach myself speeds and feeds for manual machining so I can work in the past and you are working in the future.

[@peterscott7384]

I don’t think I’ll ever need or use one of these scanners. But I couldn’t look away. You have a way of keeping us hooked to the screen Matt. Well done. Love the video

[@eitantal726]

it's all fun and games, until you wake up one day and decide you want to copy a car

[@JL-pc2eh]

I don't even use my 3D printer enough for what I payed for it. But having it is just pretty usefull. I guess same goes for the scanner. I hate messuring stuff just to notice I forgot to messure one thing when I am in a CAD program xD Also it would be pretty useful to see dimensions and collisions in CAD. I often have a part right beside me so I can compare messurements just that I don't make a part way to strong/weak or big/small when it isn't necessary.

[@grumpyoldguy4817]

I have watched a few of your videos before this one, but I have to say, the "safety gear" earned a sub. Keep up the great work.

[@SubTroppo]

Your comment reminds me of Brexit. Food workers in the UK wear/wore items that looked like shower-caps, whereas in other European countries with (I assume). the same regulations did/do not. From that, again I assume, that Britain's main problem with the European Union was that the British followed the rules and the rest of Europe did not. ....Pretty wild assumptions but there you are. Such things are those which political careers are based upon.

[@wrighty338]

Had a scan done with one of those 10k einstar's and it came out baller, gonna be really useful for cadding my project

[@velaworks]

Thank you for simplifying this complex topic 👍👍. Keep up the great content

[@waynenocton]

Excellent content and dry humor, liked and subbed.

[@BuilderCreator]

Hey Matt, thanks for sharing your impression of the the scanner. As I'm often doing very similar work as yourself, I've considered getting a high end scanner again, but instead stick with all the little work arounds we do to collect data. Even $1000 is a bit much for a tool that collects more dust than baby powdered axles, but your video may have nudged me. If I just had a third project going, I'm sure I could justify it- and the algorithm would also then love me!

[@cannonroberts5129]

Loving the content. All hail!

[@pagani8]

so much good, hard to find info in an entertaining package. Thanks!

[@josephkelly4893]

Amazing work Matt, thanks for sharing

[@Meoiswa]

For large surfaces like the back side of the viper, painter's tape lines that break up the shape into non-repeating patterns help a lot! Just lay down strips of tape at uneven spacing, lengths, and angles. I imagine this'll work even better with your fantastic talc powder alcohol spray!

[@kajpaget3180]

This is aaaammmmmmzzzzingggg. ❤ So much big huge yes, this does tie CAD and life together. Together the parts are strong. I am a CND plumber, and do the house renovation stuff. I'm getting one and see if it can scan my house. I'll renovate it and see if I can not use a tape measure, I hope so!❤ Fusion 360 like right thank you free, I could only dream I could use CAD as powerful, now this affordable percussion point seeker saying exactly were it all is❤

[@rigon63]

Love the timing of this, I just got my einstar two weeks ago

[@ferrettankror1]

ah super cool! Also just a heads up for everyone wanting to do the same (what I use in all of my builds) is phot scanning, tends to be accurate within 1/8th of an inch across the vehicle :).

[@BadlandIndustries]

My einscan will be be here tomorrow. Thanks for your perspective on this unit!

[@jeffharrison5265]

Great review! I purchased that scanner last month and love it. Using to make unobtanium parts for my 72 Jaguar XJ12. Like you mentioned the specs are demanding and I had to get a Dell gaming laptop, but worth it. Great time to be in the garage indeed.

[@Freight_Train]

unobtanium...love it

[@earthwindflier]

Using the Einscan scan software, you can dictate a plane (like the floor) at any point in the scan process, and tell the software to ignore it. It saves having to mess with it after the fact. Great vid btw. I have the HX, and am an Einscan devotee. Great product with great support.

[@przyna]

what do you do with it to justify the cost if you don't mind me asking?

[@earthwindflier]

@@przyna I scan professionally for restoration and preservation.

[@kidenscruton1923]

Great video makes me want to buy a 3d scanner that I don’t have enough time to use and can’t afford, Keep the videos coming!

[@badlighting]

It’s really cool to see these scanners becoming more common! The scanner on the iPhone may not be the best, but it’s definitely a nice thing to have

[@Benautodesign]

My Einscan H is the best tool I bought ! Roll cage, chassis protection for rally car, and even frame straightness control on a damaged car !

[@jasonwiggins6921]

This is exactly what I want to do! Glad I found you

[@MakingforMotorsport]

Thanks for the mention Matt… great video as always! 🚗

[@poltdesigns]

So one thing I have been doing when scanning full cars in flat areas, I will throw a large cloth near the part and start scanning. The scanner uses that cloth almost like a dot and the tracking is unbelievable. (Even better than using the dots tbh lol). Afterwards I delete the cloth bits from the scan, do that a few times slowly offsetting the areas of the cloth and the parts I did and did not scan. Really loved the results and the speed it did it in!

[@user-vo5yl3yn8i]

Thanks for the MeshLab and baby powder tips. Very helpful.

[@inebriatedengineering6288]

It's funny when you notice that Brilliant tells their advertisers to mention in the beginning of every video that it's sponsored by them and that 'we'll get to that later'.

[@sparkie5571]

It's better for most people since we all know we all don't like ads in videos. At the end of the video is a great compromise

[@FiftySixishTV]

Putting the sponsor at the start and it's getting skipped, no two ways about it

[@wills5482]

Sponsorblock baby

[@FiftySixishTV]

@@wills5482 time is money

[@ShainAndrews]

There is no such contractual obligation.

[@jacohop]

4:09 man… 😂 you catch me off guard far more than it feels like should be possible, definitely more than most “comedies” I appreciate your ways 🤭

[@mrjed]

for the bodywork, I would be interested in a painters tape lattice as a makeshift set of markers, unless they are more than just visual markers, I think that might give enough points of interest for the scanner

[@directoradamg]

Was about to say the same thing! Painters tape will hopefully at the very least, break up the solid surface with enough points of interest to create a great scan.

[@SAD-MART]

Coming from someone with a painfully underpowered Creality Lizard- the secret sauce is wet newspaper. Drape large, unchanging surfaces (like body panels) in the stuff and it's hands down the best way to catch them. The Lizard has the eye size of a credit card, so unless you're practically wrapping the car in tape, it's not enough.

[@ThaJay]

@@SAD-MART Loads of high contrast detail on a thin sheet! Smart.

[@directoradamg]

@@SAD-MART That's a super smart idea!!!

[@mrjed]

@@SAD-MART whoa this is a great idea tbh; all the letters and symbols would work for sure

[@MrFunnyDad2024]

Very informative, value wise one of your best.

[@011bluedrag]

as an option for the targets, try using a chalk pen and just drawing squiggles on the surface, this was suggested to me by the manufacturer of a very expensive 3d scanner that we were trailing at my work, its also a lot cheaper than buying tracking dots

[@lowbudgetzlatan3672]

Awesome video and explanation !!

[@iflifewaseasy]

For targets, I'll use all sorts of random stuff. Erasers, nuts, Legos, then attach with modelling clay. I love your review of this scanner, too! It does seem finally approachable. I've got a next engine scanner with rapidworks.

[@alexdelascasas]

Love this project!

[@garyparker2262]

Attach trailing arms to axle with forward mounts fitted. Place axle under car in desired ride height position. Remove anything in the way to enable trailing arms to attached to body at the desired angle. Do the same with Panhard rod. Run axle through full bump travel, left, right, both. Remove anything that fouls. Reinforce and strengthen altered areas and mounting points. Stop for lunch and have a nice cup of tea.

[@jonwebb9261]

Great video, you're totally right about this tech being accessable and good enough to be worth it now. Also, dry shampoo is cheap and very easy to use as developer spray

[@jayk7781]

This is perfect! Enjoyed the video!

[@flanflanjp_]

On objects/parts you know are symmetrical, it might help to do a mirror on that axis to fill in detail you missed on one side that you got on the other. You could even ask the software to combine your mirrored scan to fill it all in.

[@54mgtf22]

Love your work, Matt 👍

[@redherring5532]

Man great content, thanks!

[@gstpierre69]

Been waiting for a year! Cheers!

[@motoflyte]

Thanks. Just purchased an einstar scanner

[@ChinoBuchonMX]

Great video Matt.

[@lemmy9996]

Great video matt!!👍👍

[@TheJcman72]

Nice to see that we use the same quality content!

[@james.d.8044]

Thank you for a truly unbiased review ❤❤ I mean I watch your videos anyway but thanks

[@kewlbug]

Literally searching for scanners just today! awesome!

[@AKMotorsports_SD]

11:36 caught me off guard had me choking on my popcorn lol

[@VB__Longneck01]

Nice video, Matt. The algorithm is pleased.

[@theianmce]

Totally agree, there has never been a better time to be a mechanical engineer / designer!

[@modisumocustoms9374]

Seems to be exactly what I'm looking for... now to part with my Mole scanner.

[@Rydn]

hey, to reduce the mesh you can pop the model in blender and use a modifier to decimate as well, with the benefit of selecting the amount of desired reduction and see the result before applying.

[@koryyyy]

Awesome video! another alternative for lowering the quality of the STL, is 3dbuilder (comes in windows 10/11). it has a "Simplify" option that you can move a bar and see the quality difference and apply whenever you are ok with it.

[@ropac1256]

sweet content, thanks for reviewing 3d scanners

[@arblazer1]

your humor is like the flats your race on some day. Dry! Hahah keep it comming.

[@losotech206]

Lol. Just bought the same scanner 2 weeks ago! Glad to see it was your pick too.

[@mccanlessdesign]

Gonna' buy one - you convinced me.

[@benni5941]

Ahh, this is the video I've been waiting for