The 3d scanner makes the process of 2D, which uses light to capture physical and real world objects or material and copy them to various digital platforms fast. Today, nearly all 3d scanners operate the same way, with structured light technology scanning up to 2 million points a second and converting physical objects into ultra-detailed digital copies in just minutes. Such speed allows industries to optimise processes and avoid lengthy manual measurements.
In industries such as manufacturing, 3d scanners reduce prototyping cycles by almost 50% which offers companies a faster route to market with products. Automotive manufacturers use 3d scanners to find and never accurately design a 3D model of the components in less than thirty minutes, by conventional means this would take hours. That efficiency, in turn, enables a quicker design to production pipeline.
Notably, in an architecture and construction environment, a 3d scanner saves a great deal of time during the site survey. It can take just under one hour to scan an entire building—while manual measurements take days. Project timelines can also be shortened by 20–30% as accurate building information modelling (BIM) data creates fewer error opportunities in renovations and new builds, reducing the need to rework.
Time-saving capabilities benefit healthcare applications as well. Adobe Stock 3d Anatomy 3D Scanners: Custom prosthetics and orthotics in minutes Within 24 to 48 hours, it replaces conventional molding and cuts the production cycle by as much as 30%. Fast scanning and modelling enables better patient outcomes with reduced waiting times.
Some other industries, such as art or gaming industries in the creative field utilize 3d scanners to help them digitize objects and create assets at approximately half the input time it would take to sculpt or model by hand. An example would be within game development when 3d scanning is deployed to recreate real-world environments and consequently slashing asset creation timelines by up to 40% whilst adding additional depth of detail and realism.
As you may have heard famed inventor Elon Musk once say, “The single most important thing is that the time that one needs to do something has changed. Efficiency is the mother of all innovation,” & this statement was directed towards tools such as 3d scanners when looking at how they can help an innovator in managing their time better. Putting these tools into practice automatically prevents time consumption while ensuring precision, thereby eliminating expensive do-overs.
One 2021 industry survey found that adoption of new 3d scanner technology gains operational efficiencies up to 30% for companies on average. 3d scanners provide both unparalleled time-saving benefits across different industries from accelerating rapid prototyping to allowing for real-time digital modeling.