Microscribe Process

A microscribe is a device for tracing over the contours of an existing object. You can capture the physical properties of three-dimensional objects and translate them in to your own 3D model. The microscribe is build out of a three joint arm, with a stylus at the end of it. The joints give you the freedom to move the stylus in all the directions you would like, making it able to trace your object in all kind of directions you want to. This method provides a fast and easy-to-use way of creating an accurate 3D model.

Microscribe in use

To trace a model you have to move the stylus to the place you want to define as an existing point of the product. You should place your stylus at the beginning of an arc you would like to trace, and confirm the point by pushing the pedal. Those pedals are controlled by your feet. Continuing to confirm points can result in an array of points, which you can convert into a curve later on. Depending on the software which is used you can also draw curves right away, like in Rhinoceros.

You should draw a mesh on your product when it contains complex curves. At the crossing of lines and along hard edge lines, points can be digitzed and curves created through them. Filling those curves with planes will result in a 3D model of the traced object.

 

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Image from an-cadsolutions.fi