TriMech Blog

Congratulations, you just finished designing your CAD model! Now, what's the next step? Prototyping! It's the next phase in the design cycle that helps you mitigate and reduce errors and issues. Prototyping allows you to test your model for functionality and design features. It has become more affordable and accessible as this trend continues at a non-linear rate. This phase decreases the time to market and increases productivity. Newer enhancements offer a more functional prototype and ability to rapid manufacture. Let’s review several things that you can leverage today to help make your prototypes in an efficient and affordable way.

In our previous blog post, we walked through the process of gathering usable data by 3D scanning the entire outside of Ryan's car. TriMech's Project Engineering Group helped us convert the scanned data into a usable SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD model of the Thunder Roadster. With this model, we'll be able to make, evaluate, verify and even modify the vehicle for ultimate performance!

In our previous blog post, “Customizing a Thunder Roadster: Introduction”, you might’ve caught Ryan’s car being scanned using the Artec Eva 3D scanner. Artec manufactures structured light scanners, which are the perfect choice for making a textured and accurate 3D model. 3D scanning is being used more in many industries for reverse engineering and product customization due to the precise results and lowered technology costs. By capturing technological details and data from an object, it is possible to then recreate or improve upon it. In part two of this series, we’ll take a look at how Ryan’s Thunder Roadster was scanned.

Artec 3D announces the newest member to their growing line of 3D scanners: the Artec Micro. A first for Artec, this metrology-grade desktop 3D scanner is fully automated and moves the part while the scanning cameras remain stationary. The mechanically controlled synchronization between the cameras and the dual-axis aperture is a key part of what allows for the incredible scan accuracy of up to 10 microns. How small is that? Ten microns about a tenth the size of a single grain of salt, and four times smaller than what is visible with the human eye.

At TriMech, our engineers are always excited about the technologies that we offer our clients. From the latest in CAD changes to the newest advancements in additive manufacturing, our goal is to have the best technical staff available. One of the ways that we encourage their advancement is by embracing the use of technologies for personal experiences and professional development.

During this multi-part video series, we are going to highlight one of our Senior Application Engineers, Ryan Zeck. Ryan has been racing since before he was nine years old and has always had a passion for going fast! So for this project we’ve given Ryan access to TriMech’s entire product portfolio to see how we can make his car go even faster. 

Anticipated since 2017, the Artec Leo is a revolutionary new 3D scanner. There are many improvements over Artec’s previous offerings, but the most obvious is the Leo’s ability to collect data cordlessly. Other 3D scanners need wires to connect to a power supply and a computer. The Leo can operate independently.

Forensic teams have been documenting crime scenes with cameras for decades. They also use approximate measurement methods, such as a tape measure, that can only be performed at the crime scene. The 2D images that cameras generate, even with the highest quality, lack crucial data that only spatial relations between objects can create. These parameters can be of such critical value that they may determine whether the criminal justice system ends up prosecuting an innocent person and vindicating the offender. 3D scanners may be just what they need to change the outcome.

It's finally fall! For everyone who was dying in the summer sun, we finally made it and get some relief from the heavy heat! To me, fall is the time for watching leaves change color, eating my share of turkey on Thanksgiving and my favorite, riding my motorcycle through the mountains! Every year I cram as many weekend rides into the Blue Ridge Mountains to see the trees and enjoy the crisp air as possible. Like many riders, I have a camera to capture all the great scenery, as well as any road hazards. I typically mount my camera on the motorcycle itself, however, that’s only because I can’t find a mount that perfectly fits my helmet. 

I LOVE HALLOWEEN, I am a giant child! So, I decided to play around with some of the different technologies that we offer here at TriMech.

3D scanning is an increasingly popular technology and is mostly used for reverse engineering and quality assurance. Reverse engineering is commonly known as backward engineering because it's the process through which information is extracted from pre-existing objects to reproduce them based on the information gathered.

3D scanning is a powerful tool for designers and engineers. The advantages are clear for many applications when a tool, like the Artec Space Spider, is used to take full color, 3-dimensional scan data of existing objects. Scans like the drill below could be used to reverse engineer the drill’s geometry to create bracketry, packaging material or even can be used to create a new and better version of the same part. Yet many engineers do not consider the power of a 3D scanner as a tool for a Quality Assurance (QA)/Quality Control (QC) application.

Did you know TriMech offers more products outside of SOLIDWORKS and Stratasys? We offer a variety of solutions that may be perfect for your business. You don't have to just take our word for it though. We have a Solution Partner On-Demand Webinar Series where you have a chance to learn about each one.