In digital modeling, 3d volumetric scanner allows synchronous digitization of objects’ internal and external structure; it has omnidirectional data capture functionality. A typical example in healthcare proves how Siemens Healthcare SOMATOM X.ite scanner with photon counting CT technology can scan 360° of a patient’s mouth (approximately 50cm³ in volume) in 0.3 seconds. A stereoscopic model with the pulp cavity (diameter 0.2mm) and root canal (curvature radius 0.15mm) was developed to a precision of 0.05mm. With data available up to 2023, the technology reduced dental implant surgery planning time from 2 hours to 5 minutes, reduced clinical error rate by 72%, and generated more than $2 million in yearly revenue per device.
For restoration of cultural relics, 3d volumetric scanner possesses a unique advantage. Palace Museum uses Artec Leo to scan bronzes (1.2m height) to obtain the three-dimensional data of rust layer (0.1-2mm thickness) and inscriptions (0.3mm stroke width) through real-time point cloud fusion of 80 frames per second. Modeling efficiency is 20 times higher than photogrammetry. In 2021, the equipment captured the intangible casting porosity (diameter 0.08mm) in Simuwu ding of the Shang Dynasty in the process of digitization, which provided an important foundation for the restoration plan and saved 3 million yuan of the project cost.
In industrial production, 3d volumetric scanner revolutionizes reverse engineering processes. Tesla employed FARO Quantum Max ScanArm to scan the V-engine cylinder block (0.8m³ volume), capturing 210 million point cloud data at once, and compressed the design period from 6 months to 28 days via NURBS surface reconstruction. The error of flow simulation for cooling channels (3mm bore) was decreased from 12% to 0.8%. A manufacturer of auto parts puts the deployment of this technology as saving on mold development by 45% and totaling $18 million in annual net profit.
In the field of research biomechanics, 3d volumetric scanner breaks the limits of in-vivo scanning. A team from Harvard University used KScan volumetric device to dynamically measure the knee joint of horses under movement (load pressure 8MPa) and cartilage deformation (amplitude 0.02mm) at a sampling rate of 120Hz. The data model constructed successfully predicted the likelihood of osteoarthritis occurrence. The accuracy rate was 89.7%. Compared to MRI (for which a single scan costs $5,000 and takes 1.5 hours), the protocol brings down the cost of a single sample to $200 and time by 98% less.
With regard to the environment, on the monitoring aspect, 3d volumetric scanner facilitates proper modeling at the macro level. NASA used the airborne volumetric system with LiDAR to sweep the 500 square kilometers of burnt regions in 12 hours during the 2022 California wildfires, and the measurement error of the burning volume of vegetation was only ±1.2%, 15 times more accurate than satellite remote sensing information. Discreet fault lines (0.5m/year of displacement) were discovered by geologists and updated earthquake hazard models were incorporated into state emergency plans, avoiding potential economic losses of $2.2 billion.
According to MarketsandMarkets 2024, the market for global 3D volumetric scanner is $4.7 billion with a growth rate of CAGR of 18.3%, Medical (32%) and industrial testing (28%) being the primary drivers. Trumpf verified that implementation of the digital production line technology has reduced product development cycles by 60% and design iteration costs by 55%, demonstrating that volumetric scanning is an anchor technology for cross-industry digital twins.