Carapace-Copier

From RepRap
Revision as of 02:01, 24 March 2010 by Reece.arnott (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search

This page is a development stub. Please enhance this page by adding information, cad files, nice big images, and well structured data!

Crystal Clear action run.png
Carapace-Copier

Release status: unknown

No image available.png
Description
Scanning of 3D objects
License
unknown
Author
Contributors
Based-on
Categories
CAD Models
External Link


Reece Arnott (Univeristy of Otago, New Zealand) is doing a PhD that involves incorporating simple scanning of 3D objects into the Reprap toolchain to allow the user of the Reprap to do primitive 3D photocopying. As a first step to create a proof of concept for a 3D photocopier, software is being created that takes as input a series of digital photos taken of a knwon calibration sheet with an object on it. This is processed to produce an STL file as output that can then be used by a Reprap to reproduce the shape of the object.

A beta version of this software should be released by May 2010 with an initial 1.0 release scheduled for June 2010. Although this software is designed with the Reprap project in mind it is also designed to be versatile and is written as a Java application with the user interface being a multi-step wizard that should be able to be used by most computer users. This will need to be confirmed with user testing and feedback to make sure the design is correct.

Once the software has been proven it is to be integrated into the existing Reprap software and hardware designed for mounting a digital camera or webcam on a tool-head and automating the picture taking process.

As a final stage in the PhD the parts for the 3d photocopier version of the Reprap will be given to a number of users selected for their interest in the concept rather than any knowledge or DIY skills and the users will be monitored to see where there are any problems in putting it together that could be further improved.