Antonio Burrai
[WEEK 5]

Scanning and printing

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The weekly assignment focuses on 3D scan an object, then design and print a 3D print a model. I've started from a very complex (in terms of color and shape) model, scanned it,undestood the major problems in 3D scanning, tried to fix it (using a popular software) and printed it in order to obtain a scaled copy of the original model.

The object I choose for scanning and printing is a typical traditional mask of my island:Sardinia . It’s called “mamuthone”. As it can be noted from picture listed above it’s an object very difficult to scan: it’s black and it’s very sharp-cornered. It’s difficult to obtain a global diffuse illumination and scan every single detail.

At the beginning I try to use the Kinect Sensor for XBOX but it’s difficult to find open source software packages without any mesh number limit export (generally is 5000 faces, very low). I’ve tried Skanect, ReconstructMe , KScan3D with reference to Kinect. I’ve also tried a semi-professional software AGISOFT PhotoScan Pro(in the figure) and Autodesk 123D Catch , starting from pictures.

The mesh limit make me exclude the previous software(s). Thus in a second time, after the first tests, I’ve tried the AGISOFT PhotoScan Pro way, but immediately it looks very complex: very RAM consuming software, very bad object reconstruction (or no reconstruction at all). Basically you need to take a lot of high-res pictures and let the software extract the position they were taken and then compose them all.

Even the classical usage of Netfabb takes no effect. The mesh is just terrible. I choose to change software. Considering that the Kinect related softwares can not export more than 5k faces, I choose to finalize the assignment using Autodesk 123D Catch.

Autodesk 123D Catch is a very good software, having just one problem: it’s an online solver, so everything depends on Autodesk servers. After the servers finished their works, I could export the result into a STL file.

As expected, he final result is very “smoothed” and the scanned mask lost completely its polygonal aspect. I was not completely satisfied, but anyway I decided to make some change using Meshmixer. Using the Meshmixer shape modifier, I've tried to: give back to the mask a more polygonal aspect, modify the nose and the lips. The final result is quite good.

I’ve decided to print the final object using my brand new Zortrax M200, using a layer thickness of 0.39mm, light fill, high speed. For further details about Zortrax M200 please refer to the Documentation page .

This is the final result (please note the small dimensions).

Design files download area
The following files are downloadable:
Type of file Description Link (Type of file)
Fabrication files: vectors(s) / 3D model(s) Meshmixer file (mix)
Fabrication files: vectors(s) / 3D model(s) 123D Catch (export) file (stl)
Fabrication files: vectors(s) / 3D model(s) Zortrax M200 printing file (zcode)