3 Point Registration Using Geomagic

Lab Tutorial Written by John Eberhart

When using the 3D laser scanner, you can scan multiple angles of your object. After you have scanned your object from all directions you will need to align each scan so that you have a completed model. To do this you will use 3 point registration. 3 Point Registration works by selecting 3 corresponding points on two separate scans. Geomagic then aligns the two scans by matching up the selected points on each scan. Geomagic will then auto align the two scans to achieve a perfect alignment.

Important: You need to have enough overlap between each scan so you can select 3 corresponding points to align the scans with.

Step One: Capture multiple scans of your object using the 3D laser Scanner in Raindrop Geomagic, or import the scans into geomagic. Open your first scan in Raindrop Geomagic:

Step Two: Import the remaining scans into Raindrop Geomagic. Select File>Import, and select the next scan. Continue until you have loaded all of your scans into the same window.

Imported Scans: Separate scans or imported scan files Corresponding Scans in the Modeling Window

Step Three: Aligning the separate scans Getting the scans to align is a two step process. First you roughly align the various scans together, then you can auto refine the scans to align perfectly together. Note: The denser the scan, the more accurate the alignment. Shift-Select each of the imported files in the side window, then select Tools>Registration>Manual Registration.

A setup panel for Manual registration will appear. Select 3-Point Registration In the Define Sets Window, Click on Fixed, and then select the a scan to set as fixed. (The base scan, or the one with the most detail)

Then click on Floating, and select a scan to be aligned to the fixed scan. Fixed Scan Floating Scan

Other two Scans

Step Four: Defining Points for alignment. Click on three points in order on each scan both fixed and floating that coordinate. If you mess up selecting points, click on the Delete points button in the Panel.

When you click your 6th point, the files will automatically align.

With the two files aligned, click on the register button, and geomagic with further refine the alignment of the two scans.

After Hitting Register, Click Next to setup the next scan for alignment.

Repeat process until all the scans are aligned.

When All scans are aligned, click OK.

Final Model with all Points Aligned.

Step Five: Auto Registration After all of the scans have been manually aligned, you can then perform a Global Registration. This will automatically align the points in a scan, to a much higher degree of accuracy. Select Tools>Registration>Global Registration

In the panel, set your accuracy level, and click Apply

You will see the model making little shifts as it adjusts the scans, once it reached its set accuracy level the registration process will stop.

In this example it took 19 Iterations to match the accuracy setting.

When done, click OK to set the adjustment.

Step Six: Converting scans to Surface models Even though your object looks like a surface, it is still a collection of points. You need to convert the points into a surface. To do this, click on Points>Wrap. The following settings will appear in the panel.

Step Seven: Export your file as an STL of DXF file type.

At this point you can save your scanned object as a DXF surface. IF you wanted to save it as an STL file for 3D printing, you will need to turn it into a solid object first by offsetting the surface.

Shelling a surface: To offset a surface, select Polygons>Shell.

Shelling of a surface dynamically offsets a surface. You can specify the thickness, and direction in the settings pallet. Note: The arrows on the model indicate the offset direction. To change the direction, put in a negative value.

Offset Thickness

Offset Direction Arrow

Click Apply to Preview the offset volume.

Click OK when Done, and save the model as an STL file.