It’s easy to take many of today’s technological marvels for granted, 3D measurement among them. The idea of simply pointing a “ray gun” of sorts at an object and obtaining all of its geometrical measurements would once have been solely the domain of Star Trek-ian science fiction. But that, in essence, is what collecting 3D measurement data is: directing light or radiation at an object and capturing all of the essential measurements necessary to recreate or redesign it. It’s an amazing technology that has redefined quality in manufacturing and become an essential tool in gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage in industry. Obtaining the detailed 3D dimensions of an object enables its rapid reproduction and redesign. The same data can also be used to perform quality control and inspection analysis for a quick “go/no go” decision in manufacturing. With the ongoing rush to introduce new product designs at an ever-faster pace, with components growing more elaborate and complicated, it seems certain that the 21st century will see 3D measurement embraced as an essential manufacturing technology.
Your need for 3D measurement is directly proportional to the complexity of your object’s shape. When the shape of a part is simple, then calipers and other hand tools can likely be used to measure its dimensions. As a part’s shape becomes more complex, however, noncontact scanning methods become a far superior measuring method due to their ability to capture the measurements of intricate features and dimensions with an accuracy—from 0.0002 inches / 0.005 mm—far exceeding that of manual measurement techniques.