Autodesk, Artec Make 3D Modeling Easier

Autodesk has teamed up with 3D scanner provider Artec to link CAD software and 3D scanners to make it faster and easier to create accurate 3D mesh models for printing or digital use.

Through Project Memento, Autodesk has integrated its Reality Computing software with Artec's handheld 3D scanners. The project -- a free Autodesk Labs technology preview -- provides an end-to-end solution for converting any reality-capture input such as photos and scans, into high-quality 3D mesh that can be cleaned up, fixed, and optimized for Web and mobile experiences for digital use or for fabrication.

"Autodesk's Project Memento connects to our scanners using Artec Scanning SDK, controls the process of 3D scanning, guides users through the 3D scanning process, and applies Artec algorithms to align and merge scans," Evgeny Lykhin, vice president of product management at Artec Group, told Design News.

Autodesk's reality computing aggregates, enhances, cleans, and organizes thousands of scanned points into point clouds. The point clouds can then be turned into 3D images that can be manipulated.

Lykhin said the collaboration -- which makes Artec's handheld scanners the first to be supported in the project -- allows for accurate and rapid scanning of "huge 3D data sets" with a clean and user-friendly interface.

"Normally users would use Artec Studio to make 3D scans, process them to get final 3D model, and export it to Autodesk Software," he said. "Memento's mission is to do just 3D capturing, with simple and easy-to-use tools and streamlined workflow. So Artec provides hand-held scanning experience with the highest accuracy possible, and Autodesk provides a fast and elegant solution to guide users from 3D scanning to Autodesk 3D modeling tools."

Two Artec scanners are supported in the project, Lykhin said. One is Spider, which is an affordable, precise 3D scanner designed for CAD users that scans with an accuracy of up to 30 microns and resolution of up to 100 microns. The other is Eva, which is for scanning medium-sized objects such as a human face or a lamp with an accuracy of .5 microns.

The scanners can be used for a number of applications, including to develop more precise prosthetic devices, preserve museum artifacts, restore fossils, create movie effects, or even create 3D scans of people, Lykhin said.

"We're happy that our clients get yet another way of interacting with Artec 3D scanners, and especially happy that those Artec clients who also use Autodesk software now have streamlined workflow especially designed for this purpose," he said.

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