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To summarize briefly: 3G RE is the process of making a full CAD model from 3D scan data, using well-established solid and surface modeling techniques. It’s the way RE is done using Rapidform XOR. Second generation (2G) RE is the process of creating NURBS surface models that are fit onto scan data (specifically, optimized polygon meshes of scanned objects). First generaration RE is the process of tracing over 3D scan data to build splines that you then use to make lofts and sweeps.

Obviously we strongly believe the third generation approach is the best in most cases of mechanical reverse engineering. If what you’re scanning is completely freeform or organic, the 2G approach is usually the best. That’s why we offer Rapidform XOS.

Burn masks should fit closely to a patient’s burned face to help constrain the scar tissue growth, and keep moisture and medications on the wound. It is critical to get a good fit, and historically the process of fitting has been painful and time consuming at a critical time in the patient’s treatment, as staff are performing triage, hydrating the patient, etc. The old method involved taking an impression of the face using that material the dentist uses on your teeth. This required anesthetizing the patient, and took about 10 hours of OR staff and technician time. There had to be a better way.

There is! CimMed has developed a process to get the data quickly, and without touching the patient, risking further trauma and infection. CIMmed trains the nursing staff to operate the Handyscan scanner from Creaform to scan a burn patient, then uses Rapidform XOS to create a useable dataset from which a mold is machined. A bio-compatible material is molded into the shape of the patient’s face, and delivered to the hospital. Outcomes have improved as the tight fit constrains the scar tissue to remain thinner and more like the original skin, while the medication inhibits infection and keeps the new tissue moist and pliable. For more information contact www.cimmed.com

You can imagine the condition of an old field-worn military vehicle, hardly the best source for a pristine CAD model from scan data, or is it?

This isn’t any military vehicle, this is the original prototype Jeep – from Bantam — predating that Willys, Ford, or Kaiser your granddad drove in the big one. The Bantam Jeep is being restored by a group of amateur military historians, and 3rd generation reverse engineering with Rapidform XOR is making it all possible.

Michael Raphael is an advisor to the SME 3D Scanning conference, and owns Direct Dimensions; one of the premier scanning service bureaus. As such, he has the luxury of selecting from all the major point-processing software packages. Direct Dimensions knew that the 2nd generation process of Scans to Polygon Mesh to NURBS surfaces would take a lot of time and would propagate all the imperfections brought on by some failed parachute drops (where the chute didn’t open) and years of wear and tear. But Direct Dimensions also knows about Rapidform XOR.

XOR enables Direct Dimensions to generate perfected parametric CAD models from imperfect scan data of a bent, field-worn vehicle. XOR’s unique 3rd generation process eliminates the Polygon mesh and the NURBS steps, enabling Direct Dimensions to model parametric CAD models directly from the point data.

This saves time but also gives the operator the means to “model out” the dents, bends and other imperfections, and create an “idealized” model. With accurate CAD models, the customer is able to reproduce the “design intent” with a fully native CAD model in Solidworks, complete with the history tree.

See images of the process from Direct Dimensions here.