Introduction

Documentation Structure

The manual is divided as follows:

  • 3D Scanning at a Glance (Quick Start Guide) is a brief overview of scanning and processing basics. It also covers Autopilot mode.
  • Introduction highlights general information on the structure and appearance of the guide.
  • Using the Hardware covers scanner-related matters.
  • Installation and First Steps describes how to install the software and start using it.
  • Scanning explains the basic principles of object scanning and offers advice on how to conduct the scanning process to obtain the best results.
  • Viewing 3D Models describes ways in which to control an object’s appearance in the 3D View window and obtain the best view of the 3D model.
  • Project Operations contains information on data management, working with projects, exporting and importing data, undoing recent operations, and saving the history of project changes.
  • Data Processing focuses on data-processing techniques: working with separate scans, alignment, fusion, filters, defect-elimination methods and texturing.
  • Additional Modes demonstrates how to publish models on the Web; how to use additional features, such as employing several scanners to capture an object; and how to use measuring tools.
  • Settings describes user-adjustable application parameters.
  • Scanner Calibration and Correction discusses calibration and correction issues.
  • The two appendices comprise a hot-key list and figures illustrating third-party 3D sensors.

Conventions and Acronyms

Portions of this user guide are highlighted to draw your attention. For example, important information appears in boxes. The following examples illustrate our conventions:

  • Note

    General information that warrants emphasis.

  • Important

    Important information.

  • Warning

    Practices to avoid.

  • Panel and element names that appear in the application window use italics: e.g., Workspace, File and Texture

  • Buttons, checkboxes and elements of dropdown lists in panels and application menus are italicized and underscored: Invert, Apply and so on

  • Shortcuts, individual keys and hardware buttons use gray highlighting: e.g., Ctrl + A

  • Characters that appear in a field, file extension, or directory or file path employ the following style: Scan 1, SPROJ, C:\Program Files, and so on.

Note the following abbreviations and icons:

  • LMB—left mouse button
  • RMB—right mouse button
  • pp—Play/Pause button on the scanner body

Glossary

The following terms related to Artec Studio and 3D scanning appear regularly in this manual.

accuracy (general term)
How closely a measurement matches the actual value of the quantity being measured.
Autopilot
An advanced smart mode that guides the user through postprocessing in a few steps, automatically selecting the most effective settings and producing a 3D model.
bundle
Capture of an object through simultaneous use of multiple scanners, whose numbers and relative positions are specified in the application.
CAD model
Feature-based, editable solid model used in manufacturing. It can be created in a CAD system or reverse-engineering software package.
fine registration
A thorough frame alignment using an algorithm for relative positioning of sequential frame pairs.
frames
3D surfaces captured during a scanning session. The maximum scanning rate is 15 frames per second (30 frames per second for Microsoft Kinect, PrimeSense Carmine and Asus Xtion sensors).
global registration
Algorithm that optimizes the relative positions of all frames using a single coordinate system.
key frames
Frames used by the global registration algorithm. The algorithm selects them automatically to fully cover the surface of the captured object using as few as possible.
mesh
The surface geometry of a 3D model; it comprises a series of linked polygons.
model
The 3D object that results from the fusion operation (in Artec Studio) or another modeling process in a different software package.
near and far cutting planes
Planes that limit the space in which the scanner is capturing 3D frames. The device will ignore everything that is closer than the near cutting plane or more distant than the far cutting plane.
project
A method of managing the scanned material, processed data and user operation history, either in memory or on disk. Artec Studio project files use the SPROJ extension.
resolution (general term)
The ability of a scanning system to capture detail in an object.
rough registration
Preliminary frame alignment performed during capture.
scan
A sequence of frames captured in a single continuous movement of the scanner around an object or scene.
targets
Stickers placed on the object being scanned to ease identification of the various regions. There are two types of targets: non-coded and coded. Unless the type is explicitly specified, the target is considered non-coded. Typically, a non-coded target is a round sticker that has a black ring with a white circle in the center; a coded target has a unique code ring that photogrammetry software can automatically recognize.
tracking
Calculation of the scanner’s position in a coordinate system relative to the scene.