3D scanning made easy

One of Datron's latest products is set to make the copying of 3D objects cheaper and easier than ever before. The Copymate, by Israeli company Graphitech, is a scanner that simply plugs into any machine. The resulting computerised model can be edited before being machined into a finished item.Graphitech's objectives in developing the Copymate were ease of use and affordability. Installation is simple, and the user is guided by a wizard through the process of scanning, creating a machine tool path and sending the job to the milling machine. A by-product of this user-friendly approach is low operating costs to match its competitive price.The scanning itself is extremely rapid. An 8"x9"x3" object, for instance, can be scanned in 27 minutes, to an accuracy of 0.008 inches. Surface generation takes just 53 seconds, while the toolpath can be generated in four and a half minutes.If manipulation of the image before milling is required, the Copymate is complemented by Graphitech's Cimagrafi software. This art-based CadCam system is highly regarded in the industry, as it is intuitive, easy to use and built in a modular fashion, so it can be tuned to an individual customer's exact requirements. It has been a significant force in the market for the last five years. The release of Version 7, the next development, is hotly anticipated during this year.