Zcorporation ZScanner User manual

iii
Table of Contents
Laser Warning...........................................................................................................................1
User License...............................................................................................................................1
What’s New in ZScan v.2.........................................................................................................3
System Overview..........................................................................................................................5
Minimal System Requirements ...............................................................................................5
System Specifications..............................................................................................................5
Scanner General Care............................................................................................................5
Software Presentation.............................................................................................................6
Getting Started.............................................................................................................................9
Software installation.................................................................................................................9
Connecting the scanner ......................................................................................................12
Starting ZScan for the first time.............................................................................................13
ZScan............................................................................................................................................14
General Interface ..................................................................................................................14
Main Interface Description...................................................................................................15
Configure ZScan.....................................................................................................................26
Add Reference.......................................................................................................................27
Sensor Calibration..................................................................................................................28
Sensor Configuration.............................................................................................................29
Sensor Manager.....................................................................................................................30
Software Uninstallation..........................................................................................................31
Help..........................................................................................................................................32
Scanning Techniques.................................................................................................................33
Object Preparation................................................................................................................33
Importing Positioning Features.............................................................................................34
Using Sensor Configuration...................................................................................................34
Calibrate Scanner..................................................................................................................35
Proper Scanning Distance....................................................................................................36
Editing the Scan .....................................................................................................................37
Miscellaneous..............................................................................................................................41
Troubleshooting......................................................................................................................41

1
Laser Warning
WARNING: Class II Laser product. Avoid long-term viewing of
direct laser radiation. Prolonged staring into the beam (direct or
reflected) can damage the retina.
This system uses a class II laser which is considered eye and skin safe but can cause eye
damage if exposed directly for a extended time. Natural human reflexes will normally
make the subject blink or look away before any damage is inflicted to the eyes. Any use
other than those specified in this document could result in hazardous laser radiation
exposure.
Use the following usage precautions:
•Never stare into the beam, neither directly nor from a mirror-like surface. Human
skin is not considered as a reflective surface.
•MEDICAL USAGE: warn subjects not to stare into the beam. Subjects under
effect of any medication and young children could possibly have their
natural aversion reflex affected and it may be advised to wear a
blindfold.
•The ZScanner 800 should NEVER be opened for any reason as there are no
internal adjustments. In case of a malfunction, contact the manufacturer or
distributor.
CAUTION NOTES
PLEASE READ THE COMPLETE MANUAL BEFORE USE. OPERATING YOUR ZScanner 800 LASER
SCANNER USING PROCEDURES OTHER THAN THOSE SPECIFIED HEREIN MAY RESULT IN
HAZARDOUS RADIATION EXPOSURE.
AVOID DIRECT EYE CONTACT WITH THE LASER BEAM.
ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGES COULD DISCONNECT THE DEVICE.
DISREGARDING ANY OF THE RULES AND CARE RECOMMENDATION INCLUDED IN THIS
MANUAL MAY VOID THE SYSTEM WARRANTY.
Please read and follow all WARNING statements throughout this manual
User License

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The ZScanner 800 system and the ZScan software are provided according to a license
agreement. Any partial or complete copying of this software without proper
authorization is prohibited. Distribution of the software without a written authorization
from ZCorp is forbidden. The Purchaser shall not reproduce or duplicate, dissemble,
decompile, reverse engineer, sell, transfer or assign, in any manner the Scanner, the
Software and the System. ZScanner 800 is a trademark of ZCorp
Copyright 2002 - 2008 ZCorp All rights reserved.

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What’s New in ZScan v.2
Support for all ZCorp scanners
•ZScan v.2 remains the unique platform for the complete ZScanner line-up of
scanners
Automatic Multiresolution
•The new Decimate Triangles slider makes it possible to keep a higher resolution
when needed, while keeping larger triangles on flat surfaces
•Produces lighter STL files
Delete Facets Permanently
•It is now possible to delete facets permanently, not just send them in the recycle
bin
•Faster load times, as ZScan won't have to process the deleted facets
Improvements to the 3D Viewer
•New Lock Zoom function lets you zoom on particular details while scanning
•Redesigned live surface rendering
•Enhanced lighting and shading
•Quick dynamic rendering mode
Customize your ZScan experience
•5 different 3D viewer control modes
•Save scan parameters and keep them as default
•Change ZScan's colors to your will
Enhanced Surface Reconstruction
•Improved manual multiresolution
•Improved surface boundaries recognition and reconstruction
•Optimized surface reconstruction (quicker Stop Scan and Load Session)
•Redesigned spike filter to improve details/noise differentiation
•Volume position can now be defined manually (position and angle)
•Redesigned Optimize Surface algorithm for more efficiency
Improved Positioning
•Improved positioning model optimization
•New high accuracy positioning targets
Edition Mode Enhancements

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•Immediate on-selection activation for selection tools
•Confirmations required when exiting with active selection
New Powerful Scanner Manager
•Update, add or delete a scanner safely in seconds
•Access scanners information within ZScan
New Powerful Installer
•No need to uninstall ZScan when upgrading
•Automatic Geomagic detection (to install plug-in)
•Now possible to keep scanner files when uninstalling
Improved Compatibility
•Compatible with all major operating systems
•Windows XP 32 bits
•Windows Vista 32 bits
•Windows Vista 64 bits
•In 64 bits, no more memory limit and improved performance (compared to similar
hardware running in 32 bits)

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System Overview
Minimal System Requirements
Technical specifications
•Intel Dual Core Processor
•Dedicated graphic card with a minimum of 128 Mb on-board memory
•1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
•CD-Rom drive (to install from CD)
•PCMCIA slot
•Access to a user account with Administrator’s privileges during installation only
Supported Operating Systems
•Windows Vista Business 32 bits
•Windows Vista Business 64 bits
•Windows XP Professional SP2 32 bits
System Specifications
The ZScanner 800 system includes the following components:
•ZScanner 800 scanner
•Ergonomic stand
•Reflective targets
•Calibration verification plate
•Carry-on case
•Firewire PCMCIA card
•Firewire cable
•Firewire power supply
•ZScan software
•Instruction manual (pdf)
•Laptop computer (optional)
Scanner General Care
The ZScanner 800 contains optical precision parts and must be handled with care to
avoid damage to the components or the calibration system. For transportation, the
system must be placed in the carry-on case provided with the kit. The system must be
stored in a dry, dust-free place and kept at room temperature.
The scanner must be kept on its support or in its carrying case when not used.

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Clean the interference filters with a clean and dry cloth. The ideal is a lens or glasses
cleaning-cloth.
Never open any of the system’s components. By doing so, the
user may inadvertently damage the system and the ZScanner
800 will have to be recalibrated. Only ZCorp staff or authorized
technicians are qualified to work on the scanner. No
maintenance is required by the end user. If the system shows
any troubles or malfunctions, it must be sent back to ZCorp or to
an authorized reseller.
Unauthorized manipulations on the scanner will void the
warranty.
Software Presentation
Positioning Features
In order to position itself in space, the ZScanner 800
creates a positioning model from the positioning targets.
At all times, the scanner needs to be able to see at least 4
positioning features. These features are the positioning
targets that were placed either on or around the object
before scanning.
There are two different ways to acquire these targets:
either by using the Scan Features mode or by detecting
features interactively in the Scan Surface mode. The
former enables the acquisition of the targets only, while
the latter concurrently acquires the targets and the surface of the object. The resulting
model, whether it has been acquired in Scan Surface or Scan Features mode, can then
be exported for later use.
During scanning, if a target is detected more than once, the ZScanner 800 will update
the position of the target with the new detected position, therefore increasing the
precision of the positioning model during the scan. The user can also choose to activate
or deactivate the use of a positioning feature in the positioning model in order to
exclude that target from the calculation of the sensor's position or orientation.
References
To represent the space in which the object is positioned,
the scanner needs a 3D coordinate system. By default, 3D
data is represented in the "Sensor Reference Frame",
whose origin is set to be the scanner's position when the
user starts to scan.

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The user can change the coordinates system either automatically with the auto-
detected reference model, or manually by creating another reference with the Add
Reference tool. This wizard allows the creation of references from existing features in the
scan.
Each reference available in the selected scan can be renamed, deleted or set to be
used as the origin of a new reference frame. Exported features or facets will then be
located in that reference frame.
Surface and Volume
Scanning with the ZScanner 800 takes place in a virtual
cube called Scanning Volume, which is represented by a
bounding box on the screen. In order to be represented,
the object has to be located in that volume. It is possible
to adjust the size and position of that volume through the
Surface view. It is also possible to set the resolution of the
volume in order to match the level of detail needed on
the object scanned.
Facets, Edition and Multi-resolution
Facets represent the final output of the scanner which is
structured as a continuous mesh of triangles. Contrary to
many scanners, the ZScanner 800 does not rely on a point
cloud that is later triangulated but generates directly a
surface.
Prior to generating the final result, it is possible to edit the
scan inside ZScan. However, ZScan being mainly an
acquisition software, the editing tools are not meant to
replace those offered in post-processing software, but are
rather aimed to improve the facets to produce a cleaner
result.
The software allows to remove facets and to increase or decrease resolution on selected
parts of the object. For example, the user may want to get a higher resolution on a
specific detail on the surface to see its edges more cleanly, or remove triangles
belonging to the background. Those deleted facets are transferred into the Recycle Bin
and can always be restored later.

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The final file may be saved as a .STL file, which is a standard file used by most post-
processing software.
File Types
ZScan uses different file types to store the result of its actions.
.CLF License file that makes ZScan functional. A specific license is
needed for each ZScanner 800.
.CST Configuration file that contains data specific to each
ZScanner 800. The file contains calibration parameters and
information needed to create a new session
.CSF Session file containing all the data related to a session, such as
the scans, the resolution parameters, the deleted facets, etc.
.STL File format used to export facets.
.TXT Text file used when exporting the positioning model
containing all positioning targets.
.OBC File produced by AICON 3D Systems software that can be
used to import a positioning model acquired by
photogrammetry.
General Considerations
ZScan is a software that takes advantage of modern computer architecture. Almost all
operations are multi-threaded to take advantage of the dual-core processors in the
computers.
Due to constraints in Windows, there is a limit to the amount of memory that can be
allocated to a single program. That limit is set to 1.4 Go in Windows XP and to 1.6 Go in
Windows Vista 32 bits. In Vista 64 bits, the limit is function to the total amount of memory
available in the computer. For a computer with 4 Go of RAM, the limit is set to 3.7 Go.
If you go past these limits, ZScan will display an error message prompting you to reduce
the resolution or to increase the volume. It is important to note that the data in the
session is not lost. It will reappear when the volume is changed back to a more
reasonable setting. It is also possible (and recommended!) to save the session at that
point.

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Getting Started
Software installation
If the computer was purchased from ZCorp with the ZScanner 800 scanner, the software
is already installed. Follow these instructions only to install the software on another
computer.
First of all, verify that the computer meets all requirements. Note that Administrator’s
privileges are required to complete the installation correctly.
Insert the ZScan CD-ROM in the drive to launch the installation process. If the installation
does not start automatically, you can browse to the contents of the CD and double-click
on Setup.exe to launch the Installation application manually. The setup process will then
be launched as depicted in the following steps.
Click on Next > to proceed with the installation procedure.

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The user will be prompted to enter his name and the organization for which the software
is installed. It is recommended to install the software for all users, so everyone on the
machine has access to the software. When all these fields are correctly filled, click on
Next > to continue.

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The user is then asked to select the components to install along with ZScan. By default,
the files for ZScan and the relevant sensor are selected. Also, if versions of Geomagic are
installed, the plugins for this software will be installed. It is possible to select not to install
one of those components by clicking on the icon next to its name. However, apart from
the Geomagic plugins, all those components are mandatory.

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Once the fields are set correctly, it is possible to launch the installation process by clicking
on Install. ZScan will try to install drivers for the scanner and you may receive a warning
message. Please accept the driver installation to complete the installation procedure
correctly.
Once the installation procedure is complete, the user has the option to launch the Sensor
Manager. This tool allows to quickly import the configuration and license files. Every
ZScanner 800 sensor has its own configuration file containing the calibration parameters.
It has also its own license file which is required to use the device with the ZScan
application. This tool is also accessible through the main ZScan interface and is explained
in details later in this manual.
ZScan is now correctly installed. It is possible to launch the application by double-clicking
on the icon located on the desktop or by navigating in the Windows Start Menu.
Connecting the scanner
Once the software is correctly installed, the scanner may be connected to the
computer. The following steps show you how to connect and store your ZScanner 800.
Also make sure that the working environment is clutter-free and that the cables are safely
placed. When in use, it should always be placed safely on its stand in order to prevent
accidents to the scanner. When not in use, the scanner should always be stored in its
case to avoid accidents and decalibration.

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First, plug the PCMCIA card in the slot in the dedicated slot on the computer. Make sure
to plug the power supply cable and the FireWire cable in the card as shown in the figure
below. Depending on the type of FireWire cable which is included with your scanner, the
connections will be either of the two possibilities depicted in the figure below. According
to your type of FireWire cable, the power supply will either be plugged in directly in the
cable or in the PCMCIA card itself.
The other end of the power supply cable must be plugged into a power outlet, and the
other end of the FireWire cable must be plugged into the ZScanner 800.
The scanner is now correctly connected and is ready to use. Place the scanner safely on
its stand between manipulations.
Starting ZScan for the first time
After the scanner is correctly connected, you are ready to launch ZScan by clicking on
the icon that was created on your desktop or via Start Menu > Programs > ZScan > Start
ZScan.
Your system is now ready for
the acquisition. You can hit
the Record Scan button to
start scanning. However, it is
highly recommended to
read this guide in full in
order to learn how ZScan
operates.

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ZScan
General Interface
When opening ZScan, the user first sees the main interface shown above. It is subdivided
in 5 main parts:
1. Menu
2. Toolbar
3. Scan Tree
4. Expanding Panels
5. 3D Viewer
The Menu and the Toolbar are complementary to each other. The toolbar offers the main
functions to the user, while some more advanced functions are located only in the
menu. Each of these functions will be described and located later.
The Scan Tree allows the user to select the mode under which the software operates. By
default, the scan mode is selected, in which the user is shown the surface and the
positioning targets. The other modes available are features, reference, surface, facets
and recycle bin modes. By selecting the corresponding scan tree node, the functions
relevant to the current context are displayed to the user. These functions will be
described and located further on in this chapter.

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The Expanding Panels are used to convey relevant information to the user about the
current situation of the scan and to propose advanced functions to the user where
applicable. The displayed panels once again depend on the mode chosen in the scan
tree.
The 3D Viewer presents the result of the scan in real-time. Depending on the node
selected in the scan tree, the viewer can display the positioning features, the surface or
the facets.
Status Bar
The Status Bar located at the bottom of the screen displays different values concerning
the current state of the software. The figure below illustrates the different information that
can be displayed in the status bar.
The current status of the scanner can take 3 different values:
•Ready: The scanner is ready to start the acquisition process.
•Recording: The scanner is currently in the acquisition process. Press the trigger to
acquire data.
•Disabled: The software is currently doing computation and is unable to acquire
any data.
The number of images acquired in the current scan is reset each time the user hits the
Record Scan button. The frame rate is displayed at the extreme right of the screen and
should typically be around 15 frames per second.
When in the surface and editing modes, the status bar also displays the current 3D viewer
controls available to the user. These depend on the mouse mode defined in the options
and detailed later in this manual.
Main Interface Description
3D Viewer controls
The 3D Viewer is the part of the ZScan interface where the 3D model is located.
Interaction with the 3D model is made through mouse actions in that part of the window.
The default mouse movements are summarized in the table below. Depending on the
current mode selected in the software, the mouse buttons will have different actions.

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Mouse
Action Active Mode Effect
Move Object
Mode Click and hold to rotate the object
Move Volume
Mode Click and hold to rotate the volume bounding box
Selection Mode Click and hold to draw a selection box
All modes Opens a contextual menu containing display
options and commonly used tools
Move Object
Mode Click both buttons to rotate the object on the optical axis around the current view point
Move Volume
Mode
Click both buttons to rotate the volume
bounding box around the optical axis of the
current view point
Move Object
Mode Click and hold the button to translate the object
Move Volume
Mode Click and hold to translate the volume bounding box
All Modes Scroll up or down to zoom in or out
It is now possible to select between 5 different mouse configurations. The main actions
available in each mode are summarized in the table below, but at all times, the possible
mouse actions are listed in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. It is possible to
change the mouse mode in the configuration dialog ( Configure | Options ). These
modes replicate the mouse configurations available in the leading 3D modeling software
available today.
Mode 1 Mode 2 Mode 3
Left button: Rotate
Left + Right button: Spin
Middle button: Pan
Mouse Wheel: Zoom
Middle button: Rotate
Alt + Middle button: Pan
Shift + Middle button: Zoom
Mouse wheel: Zoom
Middle button: Pan
Middle button + Left button: Rotate
Middle button + Left button clicked
and released: Zoom
Mouse Wheel: Zoom
Mode 4 Mode 5
Left button: Rotate
Shift + Right button: Spin
Middle button: Pan
Right button: Zoom
Shift + middle button: Zoom on region
Left button: Rotate
Ctrl + Left button: Pan
Shift + Left button: Zoom