Why, just the other day, 3D Systems announce the Geomagic Sense scanner aimed at the home user and hobbyist with a few millimeters of accuracy and handheld coolness for $400 bones. Just think though, professional scanning with 60-118 micron accuracy and a desktop scanner/tripod/software/power cable could be yours for just “$14,900 to $24,900.” (Yes, power cable included.) That’s the price range on the new scan n’ CAD product bundles from 3D Systems’ Geomagic branch, Geomagic Capture, a range of product packages that combine a hi-res desktop scanner with SolidWorks, SpaceClaim, Geomagic Design X (formerly Rapidform XOR) or Geomagic Design Direct (formerly Geomagic Spark built on SpaceClaim) modeling software.
Capture the Awesome
And by awesome, we mean, capturing any object within a 172 to 260mm (diagonal) field of view with a scan rate of .3 seconds sucking in 1.97M polys at .162mm point-to-point. (breath) That object could be the superior part of a competitor, the front cowling of your girlfriend’s Ducati or the pores on your boss’s nose–all fair game with this set-up. The scanner is the meat of this meat and potatoes meal, but the software aspect can’t be left out. The starch starts with plugins for your fav 3D modeling software, SolidWorks or SpaceClaim–we expect these to be the lower priced options–with other options for two of their own modeling applications, Geomagic Design X and Design Direct, that allow you to suck and slam that scan data right in as well.
Now, we mentioned the design-based packages, but there are also inspection-based packages that give you the option of snagging that crazy high-res scanner, plus Geomagic Verify (formerly Rapidform XOV) or Geomagic Control (formerly Geomagic Qualify) for all you QC fiends out there. Overall, they’re some packages that make a lot of sense if you’re already in the market for scan n’ cad or scan n’ inspect packages. You will want to read the fine print in the FAQ’s though, for $14,900 to $24,900 you won’t get color data from the scanner, only geometry. You’ll need SolidWorks 2013 or 2014 and bananas or metal fragments are the only forms of payment accepted–just kidding on that last bit. Full press release below.
3D Systems Announces Geomagic Capture: First Integrated Scan-Based Design and Inspection Solutions
The Must-Have Productivity Tool for The Engineer’s Desktop
Integrated 3D Geomagic Scanner and Software for Instant Scan-To-CAD
Professional-Grade Metrology Systems for Labs and QC Departments
Release Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 – 08:45
ROCK HILL, South Carolina –November 12, 2013 – 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) today announced the availability of Geomagic Capture®, a family of powerful, integrated desktop scanner and software tools for professional scan-based design and quality inspection ranging in price from $14,900 to $24,900. The company plans to exhibit its entire Geomagic Capture family December 3-6 at EuroMold 2013 in Frankfurt, Germany, and commence commercial shipments the same week.
Geomagic Capture is available in six configurations, and each package includes a compact, ultra-precise, blue light LED scanner directly integrated with Geomagic software including:
Geomagic Capture for SolidWorks®
Geomagic Capture for SpaceClaim®
Geomagic Capture for Design X
Geomagic Capture for Design Direct
Geomagic Capture for Control
Geomagic Capture for Verify
Using Geomagic Capture, designers and engineers can for the first time instantly incorporate real world objects into CAD at their desktop. Using easy and intuitive software with direct CAD plugins Geomagic Capture compresses design time, increases productivity and delivers significantly faster product development cycles. Geomagic Capture packages address a variety of applications including precision desktop scanning and integrated high-quality inspection software with pushbutton workflow and automated reporting. Geomagic Capture packages are the most affordable in their class making them accessible to broader audiences that until now could not afford high quality desktop scanning and lab metrology inspection solutions.
“The introduction of Geomagic Capture is a significant step on the road to fulfill our commitment to reimagine the engineer’s desktop with cutting edge design, scan and inspect tools,” said Calvin Hur, Vice President and General Manager Geomagic Solutions, 3D Systems. “With its unprecedented performance and affordability, Geomagic Capture ushers in a new era of design-to-manufacturing productivity and utility.”
Geomagic Capture is available for pre-order worldwide and will commence commercial shipment in early December 2013.
Josh is founder and editor at SolidSmack.com, founder at Aimsift Inc., and co-founder of EvD Media. He is involved in engineering, design, visualization, the technology making it happen, and the content developed around it. He is a SolidWorks Certified Professional and excels at falling awkwardly.
