FARO arm - what software available for reverse engineering

Hi


I have access to a Faro arm which has the typical inspection software.

I would like to use it to build CAD (Parametric) model of engine intake port - aperture shape, port spacing etc.

Can I have some suggestions for software that can help turn the 3D points into something editable in Fusion or Solid-Works. (Preferable something on the cost-conscious end of the price spectrum).



thanks.

Polyworks is your best bet for the metrology side with also Cad rendering ability. Most times I capture data via a metrology software and post it into Catia and go from there.

Don't capture just a point cloud, the faro arm will let you capture faces and bolt holes, straight lines etc and such, then use a point cloud only for what you absolutely have too. I forget the version of faro software we use to use, but it was then pretty easy to pull that into inventor back in version 6 then hang part geometry off that to build up the part.

Secret was not to use points apart from what we absolutely had to, using the faro arm software to capture planes, faces, profiles etc and you could scan stuff and have it throw those faces to a given plane too, IE make a plane on the port face, then free hand scan around the ports onto that 2d plane then use that to make the starting features of a 3d model. Time spent with the arm paid back a lot of savings in time spent working off crappy scan data. its one of the key reasons we took over scanning our parts instead of letting the previous shop floor guy do it, we simply knew what we wanted out, hence made sure we got that going into the scan file.

We also use to make great use of the jumping feature of the faro arm too, we use to dot punch items to get permanent reference points, hence like that we could roll the part multiple times on the bench and effectively re acquire it and get yet more features from different view points.

Once in inventor we would turn that into a simple solid object with out too much fettling of the data, Then go back and create a nice solid based on that file tuning bolt holes and such to the sensible sizes etc. We found more steps and especially better scanning made the whole process work a lot lot faster.

Many thanks for the feedback.

Let me try that and see how i get on.

Have you considered Verisurf? It's a very robust software from everything I have heard.

Verisurf

I have read that many people like this software, I am not aware of it's cost but get the feeling from the comments that is might be a little more than my budget.

If anyone knows the cost - please say.

Get a copy of Rhinoceros. You can digitize splines on a surface that can be used to accurately create surface geometry. I think the price of a copy is less than $1,000

DezignWorks, runs in SW, Inventor and ProE WildFire

FlyingHaggis said:

Verisurf

I have read that many people like this software, I am not aware of it's cost but get the feeling from the comments that is might be a little more than my budget.

If anyone knows the cost - please say.

Click to expand...

I believe it's North of $20k

My ancient faro silver uses autocad R12 (via plug in) running on DOS 6.2. Servicable is all I can say. Parallel dongle. Came with the arm but its the sort of thing (dongle and software) you might find on ebay cheap. You can turn point clouds into a sheet surface with it.