Calipers are an engineer’s best friend when it comes to reverse engineering some existing design or designing your own part that needs to fit perfectly with something that already exists. Though in many scenarios it is unwieldy to attempt to measure every feature, instead using a 3D scanner would be a more efficient way to gather data. The Archer series of 3D scanners from Thunk3D are able to scan at an incredibly fine resolution, making them an excellent choice when you need to replicate a part or textured surface that would otherwise be difficult to measure by hand.

Let's break it down-

Hardware Requirements

Both the Archer S and Archer W can pick up intensely small details of a scanned object, so it’s no surprise that a powerful computer is needed in order to reliably use these scanners. The high-resolution point cloud generated by every pass of the scanner means an Nvidia GPU and Windows 10 are the minimum requirements to use these devices. If you have a computer that you regularly use for CAD, gaming, or cryptocurrency-mining, you should be set to use these without issue, just be sure your computer has a USB 3.0 port as well to handle all that data.

A powerful LED lights up the scanning area to ensure uniform lighting washes over the scanned object.
A powerful LED lights up the scanning area to ensure uniform lighting washes over the scanned object.

Scanner Features

While the Archers are nearly visually identical (except for the colorful stripe), the S and W have minor differences internally. The S, or Standard, scans at a resolution twice as fine as the W, or Wide so it can pick up even finer details. In contrast, the Archer W has a scan volume twice as large as the Archer S so your scanned objects can be much larger.  Otherwise both the Archer S and Archer W have a full-color camera to capture texture as well as geometry, along with a bright LED to illuminate the entire scan area in a uniform white light.

Large and small objects can equally be scanned, you just need to select the right settings before you get started.
Large and small objects can equally be scanned, you just need to select the right settings before you get started.

Scanning Methods

The software included with the Archer 3D scanners is regularly updated for free to improve functionality and usability. Currently there are three separate methods of 3D scanning techniques you can utilize within the software: Feature-Align, Marker-Align, and Mix-Align. With Feature-Align, the Archer relies on registering each pass of scanning using unique features of the scanned object, like a notable detail on one side of the object that isn’t anywhere else. This mode works well for objects that do not have an element of symmetricality like a ball, but instead have many unique aspects like a sculpture or bust might. Marker-Align can be used for those objects that are symmetrical, as you can use dozens of the included marker stickers to help the scanner differentiate between the surfaces. Mix-Align, as the name implies, uses a mix of features and markers, so you can use less markers while still relying on obvious geometry to get the full picture.

The included marker stickers help provide reference points for a scan of an otherwise symmetrical object.
The included marker stickers help provide reference points for a scan of an otherwise symmetrical object.

If you have a physical object you want to digitize, the Thunk3D Archers are the solution for you. To learn more and to order your professional 3D scanning system today, check out the collection here.