UPDATE 11/2017: Unfortunately, we no longer have this item available for check-out.
If you’ve ever wanted to scan your own objects to 3D-print now you can. Do Space has recently added a CowTech Ciclop 3D Scanner to the list of tech you can reserve. With the Ciclop scanner, you can scan objects that are 4.5 x 4.3 x 2.6in and print them on the Lulzbot Taz 5 3D Printer or put them into our print queue to be printed on the Dimension or uPrint 3D printers.
The Ciclop is part of the RepRap revolution that is making it possible for the general public to have more access to 3D technology in an affordable way. RepRap technology is open source and a RepRap machine can fabricate most of the parts needed to build a clone. In fact, most of the parts necessary to assemble the Ciclop itself were 3D-printed right here at Do Space!
What should you keep in mind if you want to scan an object on the Ciclop? Objects that are very black or very shiny are harder for the laser to read. Objects that are red or light in color may require some adjustments in the settings. Horus, the open source software the Ciclop uses, creates files in the .ply format, so you will need to do some post-processing in another program like Blender or MeshLab to convert the files into the .stl format so they can be printed. But with a 0.5 mm scan resolution and an average scan time for 2-8 minutes, the Ciclop is a pretty amazing contribution to the innovative world of RepRap.
Karen Lalley is a Part-Time Community Technologist. She really enjoys seeing young members' eyes light up at all the cool things available at Do Space. Karen was raised in Omaha but spent a decade in the South, which is why she uses both "pop" and "y'all