Scanning & Digitizing options
With FlexiCAM being the recognized industry leader in 3D CNC routing, we strive to supply turnkey solutions for customers which not only includes 3D machines, and 3D software but also with equipment for rapid reverse engineering of existing parts. Depending on the size of the part, and how many sides of a part need to be digitized and the resolution of the part, we can supply you with an option for most everything. The Size of the part for digitizing is virtually unlimited with resolutions of up to .0001”, and parts as big as a car being able to be digitized with some of our solutions. Our newest feature that we have added is the ability to be able to
digitize objects on our rotary axis so that you can scan from all sides, this feature is also available for our portable scanning solutions. It is best to talk to FlexiCAM or one of Customer Service Centers regarding what option would work best for your specific application.

2D Digitizing

Included on each of our standard control systems is the ability to be able to digitize parts. A part is taken and placed on the bed of the machine. The operator next takes the machine and jogs around the parts using a laser to indicate where the machine is positioned in relation to the part. As the points and arcs from where the laser is positioned, are stored into the controller a .dxf file is built in the controller. Once the user has completed entering the points, the file is then saved back onto the design computer over Ethernet so that it can be opened and manipulated inside of a CAD package.

Touch Sensor Digitizing

Using a touch probe, parts on the table are digitized in 2D or 3D creating a point cloud of data. This point cloud can then be imported into most popular CAD packages for verification, modification, or inspection. Different tips for the probe can be acquired depending on the resolution required of the scanned part. This a good option for doing comparison and verification, of existing parts, and duplicate parts that have been cut on the machine

Surface Probing

For Applications when the material surface is not perfectly flat and cutting to a fixed depth is required, as well as the squareness of the material is an issue, this options is a most valuable feature of the machine. As well as creating a surface compensation table for the materials flatness, the system also probes the edges of the material, and verifies where the origin position should be for running the job from. This is very useful when you have items such as cast material, which don’t always have straight edges.

Floating Head

This system is designed for real time compensation of material surface. Feedback is given back to the controller from a ring around the tool indicating the height of the current area. The G-Code file is then compensated and modified in real time as the machine is cutting to insure that the desired depth of cut is relative to the current position on the material. This system can even working on pieces that are being moved while the machine is running as all compensation is done in real time.

Auto2D Digitizing

Basic digitizing is a standard on all of our standard Servo control machines. A part is placed on the machine bed that is to be digitized, and the operator jogs the laser alignment head above the part storing points as arcs or lines, which is then saved as a .dxf file for you to modify in your CAD package. Because many of our customers had a lot of templates to digitize, we created a system that would automate the digitizing process, which comes in the form of our Auto2D Digitizing system. With this system, you enter some basic information on the geometry, move the machine close to an edge and then press go. The system will then move around the part storing points, and saving it back to your computer to be opened in any CAD/CAM program for editing or applying toolpaths to.

Piezo Digitizing system

For customers looking for an affordable solution for scanning small parts where time is not critical look no further than this solution. With this digitizing system you can place any part, be it metal, wood or any other material, onto the bed, and the digitizer will reverse engineer the part for you. This system of digitizing is done with a Piezo Electric Sensor, where a needle type device comes down and touches the part to be digitized. If the part can not be touched, you should consider one of our laser solutions. This system comes in 2 Sizes 6”x4”x2.4”/152.4mm x 101.6mm x 60.96mm and 12”x8”x2.4”/304.8mm x 203.2mm x 60.96mm with resolutions up to .002”/0.05mm.

Machine Mounted 3D Scanner

This system is designed to be operated with our Standard Servo Control or ACS and is a noncontact digitizing system. With this device you are able to reverse engineer objects into 3D point cloud data which can be brought into most standard CAD packages. This system is configurable for scanning at a large variety of depths. You can easily change lenses depending upon the part that needs to be scanned. Focal lense lengths for the scanner range from 5/8”-10” / 16mm- 250mm

Portable 3D scanner

This system is designed for portability, ease of use, and flexibility. With this system you can scan in a person, bring the model created from the scan into the computer and then machine them back out onto your router table! There are many times when a part can’t be moved from where it is to be digitized so this solution allows you to do what most can’t. If you had a heritage home that required a piece of molding scanned for repairs, you could easily take this to the site , capture the part, and bring that part into your computer to fix the damaged piece. The scanner doesn’t require a computer to be hooked up to it for operation, as it has it’s own LCD screen on it for previewing shots. Another interesting feature with this scanner is the ability to view the 3D model that you have captured with the materials picture overlaid on it, as the scanner also works as a digital camera. So instead of just seeing a wire frame image you get to see a model with its real surface texture on it. One feature that really sets this option apart from other digitizing systems is its ability to take a full scan of up to 4’x4’ / 1.2mx1.2m in 0.6 seconds. An optional rotary stage is also available with this scanner.