×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Scan a part into digital format

Scan a part into digital format

Scan a part into digital format

(OP)
We use a part, referred to as a transition nozzle, that I need to model and perform finite element analyses on. This part is simply a short section of pipe that is smashed on one end. The supplier has given some very rough dimensions for these parts. I would like to have the part electronically scanned in such that I can get a list of points on the inside and outside surfaces of the part. Unfortunately, I do not know where to begin looking. I am not even sure what the actual process is called.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, in advance, for your help.

RE: Scan a part into digital format

You might try your CAD reseller. Most resellers also do consulting work doing such as you describe. They may even be able to suggest vendors that you can obtain teh software and hardware needed if this task is needed frequently.

RE: Scan a part into digital format

I would recommend that you contact the manufacturer and ask if they have a 3D version of the part somewhere.  You could save yourself a lot of time by just asking.  

RE: Scan a part into digital format

Option 1
I agree with 13.  Many vendors supply engineers with CAD files via email.  Its worth a try.

Option 2
My company had a large aircraft panel that we needed to match a backplate with.  Our machine shop used its coordinate measuring machine to locate all of the holes and perimeter cuts.  We had a perfect match.

RE: Scan a part into digital format

If I understand what yo are saying. You need to know the coordinates of the neutral fiber of the wall of this piece of pipe. If it is not to big, you can go with your metrology guy, and have him design an experiment to obtain the coordinates on a longitudinal section; the rest is mathematics so you can generate the coordinates for the rest of the points, to feed your FEA pre-processing program.

RE: Scan a part into digital format

I have been in the same situation, maybe it now will be solved by a program called "photomodeler" . They have a homepage: www.photomodeler.com
I haven't tried to import the files to my cad yet (still looking for time to test the 'lite' version), but if they work fine withouth too much manual labour, It will be precise enough to cover my needs.

Morten K. Thillemann

RE: Scan a part into digital format

(OP)
I found what I was looking for, a service with a coordinate measuring machine. This will scan the actual part with a laser and report the coordinates to almost any density. Thank you for all of your help!

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources