Producing Geometry You Can Trust
QC provided an engineer for our project who did a great job of collecting the dimensional data for the parts to be reverse engineered, creating the CAD models, and producing prints for manufacturing. He kept in regular contact with me throughout the project, allowing us to quickly resolve issues as they arose. He was also very responsive when asked to make changes to the prints. Overall, a superior job.
- Paul,
Power Generation
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Your Scanned Model - How Do You Know it Will Work?
By the time an object needs to be laser scanned, little time is allowed in the schedule for delays. The most important consideration at this point in the project is to gain confidence that the file will work for you.
First, define the next step. That is, what will you do with the file next? Then after that, how do you see the file being used in the future? Will it be edited at some point? The answers to these questions will help define what type of file needs to be developed from the scan. The object to the right is a hybrid NURBS/Parametric file. You may need one or the other. Or you may be able to work with a combination of both.
Second, confirm the level of accuracy you'll be provided. This discussion should have already taken place, but be sure your final file will be the accuracy needed to take you to your next step.
Third, work with an engineering team that not only has complex modeling expertise, but understands the product development cycle and precision manufacturing in general. This depth of knowledge is indispensible in producing a robust file that can be put to use quickly.
Fourth, expect a live demonstation of your finished file at completion. This will help you understand what decisions were incorporated into the design. A demonstration will also give you an opportunity to understand the process used to build the model tree. Finally, if this is your first experience with a scanning/modeling provider, you may want to ask them for a sample file similar to the one they agreed to provide you - before they begin work on your project.
Taking these few things into consideration may prevent a large delay, just when you need a good CAD model the most.©2012 David DeVowe
