Thinking of printing some 3D objects at your hand? Here is something that is going to help you in making replicas of things you already posses.
MakerBot, the hardware manufacturer busy in developing and manufacturing a 3D laser scanner, has finally come out offering the amazing gadget called Digitizer.
MakerBot’s Digitizer is a desktop 3D scanner that can digitally record the surface geometry of an object in just 12 minutes.
The announcement of the availability of Digitizer has come as a delighting piece of information for many, however the device is going to come with some restrictions.
As the scanner scans the surface of the object with the help of a turntable, the weight and size restrictions are always expected. The turntable can carry any object up to the weight of 3 kg. When it comes to size the range of laser beams and the diameter of the turntable are going to play crucial role.
The present Digitizer comes with an 8 inch diameter turntable and a laser range of 8 inches. It means the object you want to scan should not be bigger than 8×8 sq inches in size.
MakerBot might come up with different versions of the scanner in future to allow scanning of bigger objects.
“When it comes to price, the company has listed it for a whopping $1,400, the price that is not going to go down well with many. However, the scanner is anyway well cheaper than professional 3D scanners that cost about 10 folds of Digitizer’s price.
With that in mind, $1,400 may be a palatable price point for enthusiasts, especially if they opt for a printer that’s cheaper than the MakerBot Replicator. After using a laser to scan objects that rotate on a turntable, the Digitizer spits out standard 3D files that work with any 3D printer, not just MakerBot models. And the Digitizer is radically cheaper than the professional 3D scanners that cost $10,000 or more (and are not known for ease of use),” feels Tom’s Guide.
Talking about the restrictions and price, TechChrunch says, “There are, of course, some limitations to be aware of. The turntable can only support objects that are 3kg (or about 6.5lbs) or lighter, and you should ideally use the thing a very well-lit room. And while the Digitizer promises to be fast and easy, at $1,400 it’s not exactly impulse buy material.”
The scanner is up for preorders and is expected to be delivered by mid-October.
