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Whether you're scanning a part for prototyping, educational or medical purposes, you can use a 3D scanner to digitize an object's shape and colors and print it using a color 3D printer. The final result will have the same geometry and color as the original and enable you to print additional copies.

3D scanning apps generally provide tips and guidance to help properly take the pictures. The app then processes these pictures and aligns them together to form a 3D model. The 3D model is then available for export or editing using additional 3D software.

A 3D scanner works with structured light using the principles of triangulation. The sensor projects a precise shifting fringe pattern across the part's surface, and two cameras capture the surface geometry based on the pattern distortion, calculating 3D coordinate measurements.

The cost of 3D scanning can range from $150 up to thousands of dollars. An object with a simple geometric shape would cost $150, while a large sculpture with intricate design can cost thousands of dollars or even more.

Only professional 3D scanners are able to provide high accuracy and though they are pricier than scanners with lower specs, they are almost always worth the investment. Manufacturers of 3D scanners will always state the accuracy in the specs of their device.

Depending on the object size, shape and complexity, the scanning process (together with post-processing of scan data) may take from half-an-hour to a few hours. After which it goes through post-processing using a 3D software to get the final complete model.