3D Scanners for DIYers: From Phone to Professional

3D scanning is no longer just the domain of industrial applications. Thanks to accessible technologies, today any DIYer can digitize objects for 3D printing, reverse engineering, or archiving. Let's explore options from the simplest to professional.

🎯 What you can scan:

• Spare parts for cars or appliances
• Historical objects for archiving
• Components for reverse engineering
• Decorative objects for reproduction
• Project parts for documentation

3D Scanning Technologies

1. Photogrammetry

Creating 3D models from photographs:

Principle:

• Multiple photos from different angles
• Software finds common points
• 3D geometry reconstruction
• Texturing from photographs

Advantages:

• Cheap (phone sufficient)
• Scanning large objects
• Capturing colors and textures

Disadvantages:

• Problems with shiny/transparent surfaces
• Time-intensive processing
• Need for good lighting

2. Structured Light

Projecting patterns onto object:

Principle:

• Projector emits patterns
• Camera captures deformations
• 3D shape calculation

Properties:

• High accuracy (0.05-0.1 mm)
• Fast scanning
• Suitable for small to medium objects

3. Laser Scanning

Time-of-flight or triangulation:

Types:

• Handheld laser scanners
• Stationary scanners
• LIDAR systems

Applications:

• Industrial metrology
• Reverse engineering
• Architecture

Phone-Based Scanning

Recommended Apps

iOS:

1. Polycam (freemium)

   • LIDAR support (iPhone 12 Pro+)
   • Photogrammetry
   • STL/OBJ export

2. RealityScan (free)

   • By Epic Games
   • Cloud processing
   • High quality

3. 3D Scanner App

   • LIDAR only
   • Real-time scanning
   • On-device editing

Android:

1. KIRI Engine

   • Photogrammetry
   • AI enhancement
   • Cloud processing

2. Qlone

   • Uses AR marker
   • Simple process
   • Instant preview

Mobile Photogrammetry Process

1. Object preparation:
   - Matte surface (spray for shiny)
   - Good lighting (diffused)
   - Contrasting background
   - Reference markers (optional)

2. Photography:
   - 50-200 photos
   - 60-80% overlap
   - Various angles and heights
   - Stable exposure

3. Processing:
   - Upload to app
   - Wait for computation
   - Quality check
   - Model export

Dedicated 3D Scanners

Entry-level (under $1,200)

Creality CR-Scan Lizard

• Technology: Structured light
• Accuracy: 0.1 mm
• Working distance: 200-400 mm
• Price: ~$600

Revopoint POP 3

• Dual IR cameras
• Accuracy: 0.1 mm
• Color scanning
• Price: ~$800

Mid-range ($1,200 - $6,000)

EinScan SE/SP

• Desktop scanner
• Accuracy: 0.05 mm
• Automatic turntable
• Price: ~$2,000

Artec Eva Lite

• Handheld scanner
• Fast capture
• Large objects
• Price: ~$4,800

Professional (over $6,000)

Artec Leo

• Wireless
• Integrated display
• AI tracking
• Price: ~$24,000

Processing Software

Photogrammetry

Meshroom (free, open-source)

# Basic workflow
1. Import photographs
2. Feature detection
3. Structure from Motion
4. Depth maps
5. Meshing
6. Texturing

Reality Capture (pay-per-input)

• Fastest processing
• High quality
• Laser scan support
• Steam version available

Metashape (professional)

• Scientific accuracy
• Python scripting
• Orthophoto export
• GIS integration

3D Scan Editing

MeshLab (free)

• Mesh cleaning
• Decimation
• Remeshing
• Quality analysis

Meshmixer (free)

• Sculpting tools
• Boolean operations
• Support generation
• STL repair

Blender (free)

• Complete 3D suite
• Retopology
• UV mapping
• Rendering

Practical Projects

1. Spare Parts

Workflow:
1. Scan broken part
2. Fix geometry in CAD
3. 3D print
4. Test and adjustments
5. Final part

Examples:
- Plastic covers
- Gears
- Brackets and mounts
- Decorative elements

2. Archiving and Documentation

Family Heirlooms:

• Scanning before renovation
• Digital archive
• Replicas of fragile items

Technical Documentation:

• Reverse engineering
• Quality control
• Digital twin

3. Art and Design

• Sculptures and figurines
• Jewelry (for mold making)
• Product customization
• Artistic installations

4. Practical DIY

Example: Custom tool holder

1. Scan tools
2. Design holder in CAD
3. Fit precisely to shape
4. 3D print
5. Mount in workshop

Tips for Quality Scanning

Object Preparation

1. Problematic surfaces:

   • Shiny → matte spray
   • Transparent → thin chalk layer
   • Black → white powder
   • Hairy → fixing spray

2. Reference markers:

   • Coded stickers
   • Improve tracking
   • Facilitate alignment

3. Lighting:

   • Diffused light
   • No harsh shadows
   • Constant temperature
   • Softboxes ideal

Data Processing

Mesh optimization:

Optimization steps:
1. Remove isolated vertices
2. Fill holes (small ones)
3. Smooth (carefully)
4. Decimate (target polycount)
5. Remesh (for better topology)

3D Print preparation:

• Watertight mesh
• Consistent normals
• Minimum wall thickness
• Remove self-intersections

Method Comparison

*Requires LIDAR phone

Common Problem Solutions

Holes in model:

• More photos from problematic angles
• Manual filling in software
• Better lighting

Data noise:

• Filtering in post-processing
• Better scanner settings
• More stable handling

Lost details:

• Higher scanning resolution
• Closer distance
• More overlaps

Future of 3D Scanning

2025+ Trends:

1. AI reconstruction:

   • Filling missing parts
   • Automatic optimization
   • Object recognition

2. Real-time scanning:

   • Instant preview
   • On-device processing
   • AR overlay

3. Multimodal fusion:

   • LIDAR + photo combination
   • Thermal imaging
   • Multispectral data

Conclusion

3D scanning opens new possibilities for DIYers from simple repairs to complex projects. You can start with a phone and gradually upgrade according to needs. The key to success is practice and proper method selection for each project.

Do you have experience with 3D scanning? What projects have you completed? 📸