Abstract
To improve the efficiency of a reverse engineering process, many researches have recently tried to develop efficient, automatic 3D scanning devices. A new automatic 3D scanning device using a spherical coordinate system mechanism is introduced in this study. This device incorporates a guide motion along the spherical coordinate to compound each 3D data point automatically. The experiments correlating the system assembling tolerance with the form accuracy were conducted to verify the efficiency of the system for the scanning of an object, including complex shapes and manifold sections. In addition, the required time and system accuracy, taken during the scanning process of complicated artifact models, were investigated. Further, based on these empirical results, it was ascertained that the superior productivity of this new device offers a more precise and efficient scan when compared to conventional methodologies.