3D Systems Offers Sense Portable 3D Scanner

Smart companies are always looking for new ways to fill customer needs. In additive manufacturing (AM) one need that needed filling was an easy to use, reasonably priced 3D scanner. MakerBot recently offered a 3D scanner with its Digitizer, and it seems natural that other companies will offer competing products.

The first company to step up to the plate is 3D Systems. The AM giant has launched the Sense 3D scanner and is promoting the scanner as part of its Cubify experience. The Sense is a portable scanner, with auto-sensing features for the low price of $399. For those keeping score at home, that’s $1,000 less expensive than the Digitizer. 

“The Sense is the first ever 3D content camera for everyone, making it possible to capture people, objects and places on the go,” said Rajeev Kulkarni, VP and GM, consumer products, 3D Systems. “I anticipate that the Sense’s intuitive nature, portability, range, unmatched quality and powerful user interface and user experience will spur a new social movement around 3D sharable and printable physical photography.”

The Sense’s scan volume is approximately 0.2M to 3.0M, and has automated settings to assist users in scanning small objects (around 18 inches), medium objects like a portrait or bust (around 32 inches) and large objects (around 6 feet). The new 3D scanner can manage full body scans and scene scans as large as 10 x 10 ft. Resolution for the Sense is between 20,000 to 400,000 triangles for each new 3D scan.

While I’m sure 3D Systems would prefer you use the Sense with their line of AM systems, the company’s first 3D scanner produces files in both STL and PLY, without any sort of weird encoding that would keep the files from working with other 3D printers. Along with proprietary Geomagic software to run the scanner, the Sense is also compatible with the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 tablet.

It’s hard to argue with the price of the Sense. Unless you need super accurate scans, this particular 3D scanner should definitely be considered. About the only potential problem I can really see with the Sense is its auto-focus feature. Anyone who has ever used an auto-focus camera knows how finicky that particular piece of technology can be, but the feature does make it easier for novice users to quickly build scans.

Below you’ll find the Sense’s launch video.

Source: 3D Systems