Simpleware partners in EU project on low-cost and flexible 3D scanning system

Image-based meshing specialist Simpleware is one of the partners in the NavOScan project, an EU funded FP7 project to improve the processing of white light scanning data. The other members of the consortium are Fraunhofer IPA, Fraunhofer IOF, Innovation Center Iceland, Innowep GmbH, Enclustra GmbH, SensorDynamics AG, and Autonomous State ehf.

Three-dimensional optical measurement of objects and surfaces is state-of-the art technology in many industries like the automotive or medical sector. It is used for reverse engineering processes, quality management, and new applications like inspection and accelerated development processes. The total cost of these systems ranges around 25-200k Euro, making it almost unaffordable for SMEs which can therefore not benefit from this technology compared to LEs.

White light hand-scanner systems which do not require a high-cost position tracking system are becoming more important having high potential for a boost in this market. The accurate and easy creation of three dimensional images of real objects is achieved by sequential measured surface scans. Existing 3D white light scanners suffer from complex manual post-processing due to inaccurate measured data and technical limited number of surface scans. The goal is to create a system with remarkable advantages compared to existing scanning devices. A method and technology for the continuously real-time 3D white light scanning will be developed. The innovation will focus on the ability of full automated accurate processing of the surface data.

The project is coordinated by Dipl.-Ing. Bernhard Kleiner from the Fraunhofer Institut for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), and will run for a duration of 2 years.

For more information visit the NavOScan website: http://www.navoscan.eu/

About Simpleware
Simpleware provides and develops world-leading mesh generation software for the conversion of 3D scan data (e.g. MRI, CT, MicroCT, etc.) into high-quality computer models used for CAD, Finite Element simulation, and Rapid Prototyping. The ease and unprecedented accuracy with which models can be generated have opened up computational analysis (FEA and CFD) and rapid prototyping to a variety of research fields, including: Industrial Reverse Engineering, Implant Design and other Biomedical Engineering fields, Materials Research, Geosciences, Oil & Gas, Paleontology, and other Natural Sciences. Unlike other approaches, Simpleware provides a complete software solution from importing 3D images through to direct export to commercial FEA/CFD solvers and CAD packages. This means that with Simpleware software users can produce better models in a fraction of the time taken with alternative software.
For more information on Simpleware, visit: http://www.simpleware.com