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3D Scanning
Accurate digital capture of parts, assemblies and vehicles, for reverse engineering, inspection, damage assessment, packaging studies and archiving.
Scanning services
What we scan, and what you get back
Every project starts with the same accurate scan. What we do with the data depends on what you need it for.
Object scanning and digital twins
Accurate 3D scans of almost anything, from a miniature model up to a full-size historic aircraft. You can take the data as a clean mesh, or combine the scan with our reverse engineering service to get native CAD surfaces and solids.
Clean mesh: STL, OBJ, PLY · Native CAD: STEP, IGES, Parasolid
Archiving
A permanent digital record of a product exactly as it is today. For example, we body scan historic race cars, so if one is damaged later its panels and structure can be restored to their original shape from the scan data.
Archived scan data · Optional CAD of key panels
Production deviation checking
We scan manufactured parts and compare them with the CAD intent, showing where and by how much each production item varies from the design. Results come with inspection reports you can share with your supplier or quality team.
Colour deviation maps · Inspection reports
Equipment and accuracy
Accurate first time, with no re-scans
Our goal is to be efficient and accurate first time, so the job never needs a re-scan. That saves you time, effort and a second visit.
Markerless scanning
Our scanning equipment does not need stick-on marker dots. Nothing is applied to the paintwork or surfaces, set-up is quicker, and there are no gaps in the data where targets would have been.
Volumetric accuracy
Accuracy is (0.020 mm) + (0.040 mm × scan length in metres). On a 6 m scan the error is no more than 0.260 mm; across a typical 4.5 m car, no more than 0.200 mm.
Checked every time
The equipment is inspected and calibrated regularly, including for temperature and any discrepancies. Before every scan we take a baseline scan to confirm its accuracy on the day.
Maximum volumetric error by scan length
| Scan length | Example | Max error |
|---|---|---|
| 1 m | Small component | 0.060 mm |
| 2.75 m | Car front end or rear section | 0.130 mm |
| 4.5 m | Typical complete car | 0.200 mm |
| 6 m | Large vehicle or structure | 0.260 mm |
Error = 0.020 mm + (0.040 mm × length in m)
Where we scan
At our facility or at yours
We have the capacity to scan your project at our facility, or to bring the equipment to you. For scans at your location, the area needs to meet three conditions.
Covered, out of direct sunlight
Direct sunlight affects the scanning process. Enclosed workshops, garages and barns are all more than acceptable.
Dry, clean and dust-free
This protects the equipment and keeps the scan accurate. Water drops, dust or loose material on the object would be picked up in the scan. No dusty work can be carried out in the area on the day of the scan, as dust gets into the sensitive equipment. For example, a body shop with dusty work going on would unfortunately not be somewhere we could bring our equipment.
2 m clear space around the object
At least 2 m of clear space beside each side of the object to be scanned, so the equipment can be set up with a clear view of it.
Case study
Crash-damaged six-wheel-drive Lamborghini Gallardo
Anarchy Garage built a modified six-wheel-drive Lamborghini Gallardo. After it was damaged in a crash, Bob at The Machine Shop was asked to repair it. Before quoting, he needed to know two things: whether the repair was sensible to take on, and what it would involve. The damage that mattered most was around the windscreen aperture and the front suspension mounting points, where small movements are hard to measure by hand.
The approach
The car was a one-off, so there were no factory drawings or body dimensions for its modified structure. Instead of measuring by hand, we scanned the damaged car, then scanned the front end of an undamaged Gallardo as a reference. Aligning the two scans showed exactly where the structure had moved, and by how much.
Project
Vehicle
Lamborghini Gallardo, modified to six-wheel drive by Anarchy Garage
Client
Bob, The Machine Shop
Areas checked
Windscreen aperture, front suspension mounting points
Reference
Scan of an undamaged Gallardo front end
Method
Best-fit alignment and deviation measurement
01
Scan the damaged car
Scanned the front end as it arrived, capturing the windscreen aperture, the suspension mounting points and the surrounding structure.
02
Scan an undamaged front end
Scanned the same areas on an undamaged Gallardo front end to use as the reference.
03
Align the two scans
Aligned the scans on areas well away from the impact, so the differences we measured were real damage and not alignment error.
04
Measure the differences
Measured the deviation around the windscreen aperture and at each suspension mounting point, and flagged the areas outside an acceptable tolerance.
05
Report to the repairer
Gave Bob colour deviation maps and measurements showing where the damage was, how far each area had moved, and which areas were a concern.
Scan data · interactive
Damaged vs undamaged front end
The two scans aligned over each other. Drag to spin, scroll or pinch to zoom, and fade one scan through the other to see where the windscreen aperture and suspension mountings have moved.
Scan data shown with the permission of Anarchy Garage and The Machine Shop.
Was the job sensible to take on?
The deviation maps showed which areas had moved and whether any were beyond economic repair, so Bob could decide on facts, not on an estimate from looking at the car.
[the finding, e.g. damage contained to the front structure; repair viable]
What would the job involve?
Measurements at each mounting point and around the aperture showed what needed straightening, what needed replacing and where to check the alignment, so the work could be planned and quoted accurately.
[scope, e.g. pull aperture X mm, replace LH upper mount]
Applications
What else scanning is used for
Alongside the services above, scan data is often the first step in other work we do.
Shiny, black or transparent surfaces may need a temporary matt coating. We use a high-quality, low-impact, self-ablating scanning spray that evaporates after approximately 4 hours (temperature and airflow affect this), leaving no residue.
Specification
Scale
Miniature models to full-size aircraft
Accuracy
0.020 mm + 0.040 mm/m
Targets
Markerless, no stick-on dots
Location
Our facility or yours
Outputs
STL, OBJ, PLY meshes; deviation reports; CAD
Reverse engineering
The starting point for rebuilding a part as editable CAD, with its design intent.
Damage assessment
Record distortion after an impact, measure how far the structure has moved and plan the repair.
Packaging and fitment
Scan the space a new part has to fit into, then design the part to suit it.
Need something scanned?
Tell us the size, the surface finish and what the data is for.