Lab 7: 3D Scanning
IDS360: 3D Virtual Sculpture, Spring 2012

Objectives

General Description

We will be using a NextEngine 3D scanner available from the the Atkinson Graduate School of Management's Rapid Prototyping Lab (RPL).

Example Websites

• Jason Freeny
• Rona Pondick - see animal human hybrids
• Insect Lab
• Edouard Martinet
• Kate McDowell

Instructions and Requirements

• Scanning: In class, the instructor will give a demo showing how to scan an object. Scanning can take several hours and so you will not be able to complete your scan during class time. There will be a sign-up sheet for the scanner so you don't get in each other's way.

• Scanner Location: The scanner is kept in Ford 205. Please make sure that this room is securely locked when you are not there especially at night. 3D scanners are expensive; we do not want it to walk off.

• Challenges: Working with scanned data can be difficult:

  • Scanned models tend to have a high tesselation and the tesselation is not always very clean. As a result, objects may be difficult to work with and slow to manipulate. When you scan your object, it is suggested that you find the minimal tesslation that still acurately models the original object.
  • The textures obtained from the scan are poor because they are made up of patched together photos of the object taken during scanning. It is suggested that you instead use a simple solid colored Maya shader. Whoever uses your file might choose to add a more complex shader with texture images or using Maya's 3D Paint tool.

• File Format: Scanning will generate many different files. Your final scanned object should be saved/exported to obj format, which is a format that can be imported into Maya. To import an obj file in Maya, you will need to make sure the proper plug-in is set by going into Window->Settings/Preferences->Plug-in Manager and checking the box objExport.mll.

• Files: Please work on cs-render in the \IDS360Sp12\Lab7 folder. The subfolders are:

  • ScanningFiles: Scanning will generate many different files. As you scan, have the scanner software save your files here in the subfolder with your name. The scanned object should be as complete as possible (i.e. it should resemble the original object as much as possible) and it should be water-tight (the scanning software can do this for you).

  • ScannedObjects: When you have your final obj file, import it into Maya and do the following

    • Move the object to the origin if it isn't already there.
    • Rescale it if needed.
    • Center the pivot.
    • If you want a smoother model, select all of the model's edges. With the Polygon Menu Set selected, go to the menu Normals->Soften Edge.
    • Place a simple solid shader on the model. With the object selected, go into the hypershade (Windows->Rendering Editors->Hypershade) and select Edit->Delete Unused Nodes in order to remove the textures created by the scanner.
    • Select Edit->Delete by Type->History and then select Modify->Freeze Transforms
    • Save the file as a Maya scene file (*.mb).
    • Render an image of the object in jpg format. The purpose of the jpg file is so that others can quickly see what your object looks like without having to open up the Maya file.
    • Place both the Maya file and the jpg file in the ScannedObjects folder. Include your name and the object name in the file's name, e.g. gorr_cat.mb and gorr_cat.jpg.

  • MayaProjects: The Maya projects for your sculpture should go here in the subfolder with your name. After creating a new project, copy over from the ScannedObjects folder the objects you intend to use. If you are using more than one scanned object, create a new Maya scene file and, one at a time, import the objects into it. If you are using just a single scanned object, you can just work in the copied file.

  • MayaImages: Place two sample images of your sculpture here in the subfolder with your name.

• Due Dates: Please complete your scanned object by Friday, April 20th. The final sculpture is due on the last day of class, Monday, April 30.

Evaluation

Evaluation of this lab will be based on the following criteria (pdf)

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