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Using free software, we can convert a 3D scan (STL) into a CAD format (STEP). This process is called reverse engineering. We will reconstruct a solid model based on a 3D scan. This is not an automatic process, but a manual reconstruction. For this tutorial, we will use Netfabb (version 7.4.0) or Netfabb (current version) to measure the 3D scan. And the current version of FreeCAD (free CAD software) to redesign the part in CAD.
You only need a mobile phone and some free software to create a free 3D scan. The technique is called photogrammetry. We 3D-scanned the same part twice—once for free and once with a professional 3D scanner—then compared both 3D scans. The result: The free 3D scan has a deviation of only about 0.2mm compared to the professional 3D scan.
A 3D scanner generates a point cloud. Each point in the point cloud is a measurement point that the 3D scanner has detected on the object’s surface. Each point has an XYZ value that determines its position in the coordinate system. In addition to the XYZ coordinates, certain point clouds can also store the color and light intensity of the measurement point. A direction vector can also be assigned to each point—this indicates the direction in which the point is oriented.

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