If you have a CNC machine you can easily convert it into a high resolution scanner. All you need is a $20 web cam and a bit of software. In the video above Andy Grevstad from Tormach demonstrates how easy it is to slap a part onto the CNC bed and have the entire part scanned so that the part can be copied. Click on some of the images below for a look at what the scanned results look like.
Via: Buildlog.net
“CNC Scanner utilizes a Mach3 plugin to take a series of photographs where the camera is automatically positioned for each photograph with CNC motion. A dimensionally scaled photomosaic is then assembled by stitching photographs together to build a larger image.
After the photomosaic is assembled, it can be opened in Tormach CNC Scan CAD, a simple 2D CAD program with basic functionality for measuring distances and tracing shapes. This information can be exported as an industry standard .DXF file to other CAD/CAM programs for further work.
CNC Scanner uses a spindle mounted adjustable focus USB microscope camera that features our Tormach Tooling System® quick change mounting system. It is also compatible with any CNC mill that utilizes Mach 3 control software. Requires a spindle that is capable of holding ¾†shank, such as R8 or MT-3.”
