A consumer-grade 3D scanner is a compact, affordable device, targeted at the amateur user, small-scale business ventures, and educational projects. These scanners, using structured light or laser triangulation or photogrammetry methods, will capture an object’s geometry and texture, subsequently converting it into a 3D digital model. Most consumer-level 3D scanners will feature resolutions from 0.1mm to 0.5mm and could be used to create detailed models for 3D printing applications or simple digital visualization.
The prices for consumer-grade 3D scanners range from $300 to $1,500; the cost depends on the feature set and performance capabilities. For instance, the Revopoint POP 3 Plus is around $619, has a accuracy of up to 0.08mm, and manages a frame rate of 18 frames per second, making it an ideal option for those users whose needs call for precision but not at the cost of industrial machinery.
consumer 3d scanner are coming pretty lightweight, if not compact, and can weigh only 200 grams. They are user-friendly and mostly use plug-and-play. Quite often, they work both with Windows and macOS and sometimes even with Android or iOS. That puts the POP 3 Plus in a very privileged place with its dual infrared sensors and the ability to scan small objects down to 20 mm and large objects up to 2 meters with high accuracy.
According to a survey conducted by 3D Printing Industry in 2022, 72% of consumer 3D scanner users would make use of their devices for personal projects, ranging from the creation of customized figurines and household items repair to designing parts for 3D printing. Businesses also make use of the scanners for product prototyping-small companies reportedly saw a 25% reduction in design cycle times after adopting consumer-grade devices.
Consumer 3D scanning democratizes access to 3D technology, said Michael Carter, chief executive of a 3D technology company, making a presentation at Additive Manufacturing Conference 2023, as increased accuracy and lower prices mean more and more individuals, along with small businesses, can consider applications that had so far been the preserve of industrial users.
Companies such as Consumer 3D Scanner sell to this market, usually offering bundles including turntables for scanning, calibration tools, and also software for model editing. It is also able to export in some of the most popular formats, such as OBJ and STL, so imports work well in the most popular 3D modeling and printing packages.
Smaller in size, affordable, and with user-friendly interfaces, consumer 3D scanners are a game-changer in how people interact with 3D technology, allowing an enormous amount of creative and practical uses.