How do I turn probe or scan point data into a 3D component? (Regular Grid Importer gadget)

What it is

Regular Grid Importer reads a file of scanned points and builds a 3D component from it. It is aimed at data from a touch probe or digitizer that steps across a part in even rows. The library says it accepts many file formats as long as the data follows these rules:

• The points were captured as a regular grid, evenly spaced.
• The file holds rows of X, Y and Z coordinates that correspond to the scan lines.
• The coordinates on each line are separated by a single space or by a comma.
• Rotary scan data is not supported.

Steps

1. Download the version 12 build from the gadget library and install it with Gadgets > Install New Gadget.
2. Start a new job in Aspire sized to cover the scanned area.
3. Choose Gadgets > Regular Grid Importer.
4. Fill in the form:

• Component name: the name for the component the gadget will create.
• Filename: press the open button and browse to the scan file.

5. Click OK. The component appears in the Component Tree.

Getting a usable model

The library gives three practical notes:

• Scan stepover decides quality. A smaller stepover gives a denser point grid and a better component.
• Expect noise. Plan to use the smoothing filter (Smooth Components) or the sculpting tools afterward.
• The diameter of the tool you machine with should equal the diameter of the probe tip used for the scan.

Limits and judgment

• Unstructured point clouds, such as output from a handheld 3D scanner, do not fit the regular grid requirement. Convert that kind of scan to a mesh in the scanner software and import it as a 3D model instead.
• If the import fails, open the file in a text editor and check for header lines, tabs, or double spaces. The rules above call for plain X, Y, Z rows with one space or a comma between values.
• A probe cannot reach under overhangs, so the result is a relief seen from above, the same kind of model the software always works with.

Pro tips

• Use the Replace Below tool to drop the table surface the part sat on out of the scan.
• For ShopBot probe files in .SBP format, use the ShopBot Probe Importer gadget instead.