SMARTTECH 3D scanning technology is entering aerospace market

3D printing is already established technology in aerospace industry. Instead of smaller service companies, this technology is used on areospace market by bigger players like Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin. The importance of 3D scanning in design and production process can’t leave no impression. In opposite to 3D printing, data received by 3D scanner can be used for wider number of application. Point cloud made by 3D scanner can be further processed in different software dedicated for CAD modeling, complex quality inspection as well as various simulations.

Jet Engine is an extraordinary complex structure that requires outstanding measurement precision. Received results can influence the whole working process, that is why masurement process must be held using metrological certified machines. The point of the whole procedure is, that the results have to be referential just like they are when using CMM machines –  the range of measurement field could reach difficult to access spaces.

The main advantages of using a 3D scanner to measure such huge and complicated objects, enables not only saving time and money, but also significantly influenced SMARTTECH products development. Nonetheless, the engines volume as well as its complexity, depth and sharp edges, have caused that traditional way of measurement required usage of very huge and expensive CMM Machine.

SMARTTECH was requested to provide measurement process using one of their 3D scanner DUAL VOLUME. This device has resolution of 10 Mpix, allowing to gather 10 milions of points that exposure scanned surface within few seconds and with accuracy of 50 microns. Due to depth of scanned object, SMARTTECH modified 3Dscanner triangulation angle parameter by adjusting the appropriate position of projection system and the detector.

3D scanning of a jet engine allowed us to develop our 3D scanners under specific requirement of adjusting the traingulation process – in other words – we faced the demands of very complicated process of adjusting positions of detector and projection system together with adapting software algorithms of point cloud computing. Having such advantages we are able to get to very thin and deep hole and receive very nice results. Such solution is crucial not only for aerospace industry but also for all other customers that require complex deep measurement with very high resolution.

Mr. Darek Jasinski – Director of SMARTTECH R&D Department

Gathered point cloud was further processed in the most powerful software dedicated for scan data post processing and CAD modeling – Geomagic Design X. However, due to standard data extension, they can be used in different most popular software for CAD designers.