REVIEWS HARDWARE / SOFTWARE / TRAINING

NextEngine Desktop
3D Scanner HD
Building on the success of its standard-def predecessor, this hi-def 3D scanner
offers more detail and more colour in a faster package BY CRAIG CRANE
DETAILS
PRICE
Scanner and software
ast years release of

L
• £1,248* / $2,495 / €1,995 The core differences in the machine palette when you need colour textures in
Upgrade from SD scanner NextEngines Desktop are in the way that it captures colour addition to shape.
• £348* / $695 / €595
3D scanner brought data. Point density is now a whopping Another dramatic and obvious
*Currency conversion
affordable laser scanning 400 per cent higher than in the improvement in the scanner is scan speed.
PLATFORM to the masses, revolutionising certain previous model, an increase thats While scanning was never a laborious task
PC aspects of 3D modelling in the process. immediately obvious when scanning with the SD version, the new HD version
RECOMMENDED SYSTEM
No larger than a cereal box, the device finely detailed shapes. boasts some pretty dramatic speed
PC wowed the critics not only for its Colour capture is also improved. increases across all three modes (quick,
• Windows XP Pro x64 technical achievements, but also for The Scanner HD has a colour wheel standard and HD). Capture time in HD is
• 3GHz processor
its ease of use. that captures a wider colour gamut about 105 seconds. If youre scanning
• 4GB RAM
Now NextEngine is starting to roll out than the previous model, which used objects with multiple passes, these speed
MAIN FEATURES the next generation of its desktop scanner, conventional printed RGB filters on improvements are obvious. Anyone used to
• 1,600dpi laser scanning the Desktop 3D Scanner HD, with an all- the CMOS image sensor chips. With the SD scanner may be a little disappointed
• Field size: 13.5x10.1 inches
• Synchronous colour texture new high-definition laser array and sensors. the new colour wheel, the CMOS to learn that they no longer have time to
capture sensors now capture four times as run off and make a cup of tea.
• No calibration required many pixels, and go beyond
• Turntable supports up
to 20lbs
RGB with six high-quality DETAILED RESULTS
• Dimension accuracy: macro colour film filters. The result is Scanning a maquette of the Lord of
+/- 0.005, wide +/- 0.015 a richer, more precise colour the Rings character Gollum resolved with
incredible detail, previously unavailable at
MANUFACTURER
NextEngine this price. The fine detail etched on the
original sculpt was resolved with
WEBSITE impeccable fidelity, capturing 1,600 dots
www.nextengine.com
per square inch in the same time that the
SD took to scan in standard mode. The
enhanced capture resolution also provided
better results on surfaces that the SD
version had some difficulty coping with.
For more challenging materials (shiny,
reflective, clear or deep black, for example),
NextEngine supplies a helpful selection of
poster paints and dusting brushes to treat
stubborn surfaces.
NextEngines ScanStudio Core
● With the help of supplied turntable software continues to impress, with the
and part gripper accessories, the
Desktop 3D Scanner HD prepares a
new 1.7 release sporting a noticeable
complete mesh in under two minutes increase in overall speed. Utilising the

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 NextEngine Desktop 3D Scanner HD | REVIEWS

CMOS SENSORS
The re-engineered
sensors capture four
times as much detail
as the previous SD
scanner and gather
superior colour data

LASER ARRAYS
Twin arrays, each
with four lasers,
make it possible to
scan at 1,600dpi

AUTOPOSITIONER
Connect the Desktop
3D Scanner to a
robust turntable to
control your targets
rotation automatically

RapidWorks toolset, the softwares clean-

up, alignment and final fuse excels. In HD
IF YOU’RE SCANNING OBJECTS VERDICT
mode on a 64-bit machine, the results are WITH MULTIPLE PASSES, THE PROS
outstanding. To fully appreciate the
abilities of the HD setting, you will require a
IMPROVEMENTS ARE OBVIOUS • Scanning speed
• Superb level of detail
• Improved colour capture
64-bit machine – but even in a 32-bit • Strong bundle software
environment, the advances to the software itself is available as an option for €1,995 making it more animation-friendly. But CONS
are clearly noticeable. for converting scans to CAD parts. after an extensive period of testing in a • Inability to retoplogise

The €795 ScanStudio Pro adds the Hopefully, later versions of the production environment, NextEngines
SPECIFICATIONS 9
ability to transform its scanned meshes standard free software may include the Desktop 3D Scanner HD proves itself as VALUE FOR MONEY 10
into NURBS surfaces, and RapidWorks ability to retopologise scanned data, a rapid and accurate scanning solution. ● OVERALL 9

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