Reduce Human Error
A programmed scan path reduces variation in scanner speed, viewing angle, working distance, and part coverage from operator to operator.
Turn high-resolution 3D scanning into a repeatable, programmable workflow. Robotic automation can reduce operator variation, improve scan consistency, and help engineering teams capture complex parts more efficiently for reverse engineering, inspection, digital archiving, and manufacturing.
In Artec's published robotic-arm case study, the original Artec Spider was mounted to a Universal Robots UR5 arm and used to scan a motorcycle engine. The project demonstrated how automated scanner movement could reduce human error, shorten scanning time, identify areas that needed additional coverage, and simplify downstream processing.
Today's opportunity: apply the same automation principles using the newer Artec Spider II, with higher-resolution scanning, faster reconstruction, and modern Artec Studio workflows.
Handheld 3D scanning is flexible and powerful, but repeated production tasks can benefit from programmable motion, standardized coverage, and consistent scanner positioning.
A programmed scan path reduces variation in scanner speed, viewing angle, working distance, and part coverage from operator to operator.
Once a successful path is established, the robot can repeat the same movement for similar parts and recurring inspection workflows.
Automation can optimize scanner movement around a known part and reduce the hands-on time required from a skilled scanning technician.
Consistent scanner positioning can help capture recesses, curves, edges, and complex surfaces while reducing missed areas.
More complete and consistent scan data can reduce cleanup, rescanning, and unnecessary processing before inspection or reverse engineering.
Automation creates a repeatable process that can be documented, taught, and expanded across part families or production environments.
The original project tested whether robotic automation could make detailed 3D scanning faster, more reliable, and less dependent on continuous manual operation.
NorNet wanted to automate scanning for a wide variety of objects, including museum exhibits, wood carvings, plaster figures, and automotive parts that were no longer available.
The case study mounted an original Artec Spider scanner to a Universal Robots UR5 robotic arm. An old motorcycle engine with intricate curves, holes, and difficult geometry was placed on a rotating platform and used as the test object.
The robotic arm moved the scanner around the engine while the system evaluated scan coverage. Areas requiring additional capture could be rescanned before completing the model.
Spider II is designed for high-detail capture of intricate small-to-medium objects, making it especially attractive when a robotic arm can maintain a consistent scan path around complex geometry.
Up to 0.05 mm accuracy and 0.05 mm resolution make Spider II suitable for fine features, sharp edges, tooling, castings, mechanical components, and detailed surfaces.
Up to 30 FPS real-time reconstruction and data acquisition up to 8 million points per second help keep automated scanning workflows moving efficiently.
Spider II supports target-free scanning with hybrid geometry and texture tracking, reducing preparation for many detailed scanning applications.
A 0.19–0.3 m working distance makes Spider II practical for robotic paths around detailed small-to-medium parts.
The scanner is designed to capture deep holes, sharp edges, intricate surfaces, and difficult geometry that can be challenging to document manually.
Captured data can be processed in Artec Studio for automated alignment, fusion, measurement, scan-to-CAD preparation, reverse engineering, and quality inspection workflows.
Robotic automation can be especially valuable when the same or similar objects need to be captured repeatedly.
Create repeatable 3D datasets for CAD comparison, dimensional analysis, production verification, and quality-control documentation.
Digitize legacy parts, castings, tooling, replacement components, and difficult-to-measure geometry for CAD reconstruction.
Capture engine components, brackets, housings, custom parts, tooling, and small-to-medium automotive geometry.
Automate recurring documentation of production parts, molds, fixtures, tooling, prototypes, and manufactured components.
Create detailed digital records of artifacts, scientific specimens, museum objects, educational models, and research samples.
Use captured geometry as the starting point for 3D printing, CNC machining, design modifications, digital archiving, or replacement-part production.
A robotic scanning cell can be configured around your part geometry, required coverage, inspection goals, and production environment.
Position the object in a repeatable fixture or on a rotary platform so the robot and scanner have reliable access.
Develop a robotic path that maintains useful scanner angles, working distance, overlap, and coverage around the object.
Run the programmed routine while Spider II acquires high-resolution geometry and texture data.
Review the scan for missed geometry and incorporate additional viewpoints or rescanning passes when required.
Align, register, clean, fuse, and optimize the scan data into a complete high-quality 3D model.
Continue into inspection, CAD comparison, reverse engineering, product development, CNC, 3D printing, or archiving.
Key scanner capabilities to consider when designing an automated scanning cell.
| Scanner | Artec Spider II |
|---|---|
| Scanner type | High-resolution handheld structured-light 3D scanner |
| Accuracy | Up to 0.05 mm |
| Resolution | Up to 0.05 mm |
| Real-time reconstruction | Up to 30 FPS |
| Data acquisition speed | Up to 8 million points per second |
| Working distance | 0.19–0.3 m |
| Field of view | 128 × 104 mm at closest range; 171 × 152 mm at furthest range |
| Tracking | Target-free technology with hybrid geometry and texture tracking |
| Texture | 5 MP, 24 bpp color |
| Typical object size | Small to medium |
| Processing | Artec Studio |
Automating a scanner requires more than simply mounting hardware to a robot. The right solution needs to consider scanner access, robot reach, fixture design, repeatability, software processing, part geometry, and your final deliverable.
We can evaluate your parts, required accuracy, scan volume, geometry, cycle-time goals, robot requirements, and downstream workflow.
Rapid Scan 3D can help configure Spider II, Artec Studio, reverse-engineering software, inspection tools, and supporting automation hardware around your use case.
Before committing to automation, we can review your application and determine whether robotic scanning makes sense for your specific parts and workflow.
Common questions about combining Spider II with robotic automation.
Send Rapid Scan 3D information about the parts you need to scan, required accuracy, part size, scan volume, desired automation level, and final deliverable. We can help determine whether a Spider II robotic scanning workflow makes sense.