I am interested in a 3D scanner. Has anyone tried one of these?

http://www.rolanddga.com/products/3D/scanners/pix4_30/download.asp

I have small 3D objects, 2" x 3" x 5" that I would like to scan, create 3D models and then use this data to create CNC programs for my homemade CNC router.

I need a full 360 degree model, not a just a relief.

Can you scan multiple sides and stitch them together in CAD?

Thanks
T

I use a similar model to the Pix-30 you linked to above: the MDX-15, which also has a milling function. It works really well for relief-type scans. I have managed to "stitch" two of them together in Rhino to make a 360 degree model, but it's a fair amount of work, and the sides where the two scans join still don't have much detail. Does your router have a 4th axis? If not, how do you plan to use the full-round models?

I've also got a Roland LPX-250 laser scanner, which I've been using a lot lately, trying to get up to speed with it. This works much better for 360 degree scanning. Ultimate resolution is a bit less (.08" vs. .02"), but the models it makes are pretty large anyway. It has more problems making meshes without holes in them, because there may be places in a complex 3d object that the laser can't reach, but the Pixform software included with it makes it fairly easy to fill them in. The laser scanner is more expensive, but it will handle much larger objects, give you 360 degree scans, and the software will convert them to NURBS (IGES) format, which makes them easier to modify. I'm a Roland dealer, and can offer discounts on their various scanning systems.