The setup is a breeze and takes takes about 4 minutes (if you stop to read the quick start instructions). Aside from being one of the coolest looking things on your desk, this scanner gives you unprecedented capabilities when combined with a small but robust suite of "MAKER-tools".

Figure A shows an image of the NextEngine scanner in its "native habitat", on the desktop. Compact and sleek the anodized aluminum surfaces conceal a powerful desktop 3D laser scanner. That's a human finger bone on stage. The support arm is detachable for larger objects.

FIGURE A

Here's an image of the NextEngine scanner in its "native habitat", on the desktop. Click picture for a larger image.

Teaming the NextEngine laser scanner with Caligari trueSpace 3D authoring software, the Roland MDX15 CNC milling machine, including the Fourth Axis attachment gives you incredible flexibility.

How it all works
Use the NextEngine laser scanner to scan objects into your 3D graphics program for modification. Then output them to solid form using MDX15 CNC fourth axis milling machine. In other words Scan-Modify-Mill solid objects, all on your desktop!

Here's a practical example of how we approach this aspect of rapid fabrication in our prototyping lab. laser scan an object with Nextengine.

Take the object into a program like trueSpace and subtract it from a block. Send the block with the subtracted void-space to the MDX15 to create a real world solid model of the block.

This solid model can be used to create a fast-set RTV (Room Temp Vulcanization) silicon rubber mold for quick castings in plastic or even low melting point metal. You can get liquid mold rubbers and liquid casting plastics from Polytek and all sorts of small metalworking goodies from Micro-Mark.

Your imagination is the only limit.

[Editor's note: Micro-Mark is a dangerous site. Whenever I go there, my heart beats faster, sweat beads on my forehead, and I want to buy everything. So, be forewarned. --DG].