Oceanographic Campus Library 3D Scanner

The Oceanographic Campus Library has created several small tools to aid you in scanning your object:

• There is a black drop cloth that can be attached to the scanner cart via velcro strips located on the top of the legs of the cart.  This should reduce light from outside sources.
• There is a black foam and felt circle that can be placed on the turntable.  This allows you to place potentially fragile objects on the turntable and also protects the turntable from sharp objects.  It also helps keep objects upright.
• There are several wood blocks covered in black foam and felt that can be used to hold objects at an angle.  Experiment with different angles while scanning for optimum scan coverage.
• There is one block of foam with black wire that can be used as a small stand.
• There is a black plastic adjustable stand that can be used to help hold objects at extreme angles.
• Portions of these props may still appear in the scan, especially when the Brightness is set to Dark objects.  Please read the Editing Scans page for information on how to remove scanned props.

You may also place items like heavy books adjacent to the turntable to prop up larger objects for the purposes of a fixed scan.  Consider using this sort of prop to reduce the amount of an object scanned, which may make editing the scan easier.  Sometimes smaller scans are much more efficient when filling scanning gaps.

Adjusting Brightness and reducing the scannable surface may also be useful in scanning difficult portions of your object.

Using your hands to hold an object is not advised- even small movements can disrupt the scan and make it unusable. 

If an object is translucent and the scan isn't picking it up, consider covering the outside with a thin layer of white play-dough.  Alternatively, try cutting out a piece of a Post-It note and sticking it to the side of the translucent section opposite of the camera. 

Matte white nail polish has also been proven successful, and can be removed with nail polish remover afterwards.