We have compiled a short list of facts that are good to know about SOL 3D scanner and hardware requirements.
Read more below or watch the 3-minute video here:
System requirements
3D scanning includes handling large files and performing heavy background tasks and that requires a lot from your hardware.
To check if your hardware is up to scanning with SOL, see our system requirements.
USB 3.0
You need two functioning USB 3.0 ports either on your computer or on a powered hub. These are marked with the SuperSpeed symbol and the port may be blue.
If SOL is not working even though you have it connected via powered USB 3.0 ports, you should check if these are broken and/or do not output enough power.
Internet access
SOL requires Internet access to get factory data, and if your scanner is registered, you ensure that your software is always up to date.
Size of your objects
SOL scans objects with a diameter and height of minimum 25 mm (1 in) and maximum 170 mm (6.7 in).
The optimal diameter and height is between 25 and 100 mm (1-3.9 in) and is scannable with SOL set in near position. Scanning larger objects up to 170x170 mm requires SOL set in far position and thereby reducing the resolution and accuracy.
Objects smaller or larger than these sizes may not scan optimally.
Object surface
A successful scan depends somewhat of the object’s surface.
The best objects to scan are:
- Matte
- Opaque
- Light in color
- Asymmetrical with abundant scan alignment features
Problematic objects to scan are:
- Dark
- Shiny or reflective
- Translucent or transparent
- Too small or too large
- Symmetrical
You may solve issues with dark, shiny or transparent objects by spraying them with developer spray before scanning. And you can attach something to symmetrical objects to make them asymmetrical.
Scanning time
The time it takes SOL to perform a 360 degrees scanning pass, including automated calibration and meshing, depends mainly on your computer hardware.
An object scanned with the recommended hardware takes about 20-25 minutes to complete.
However, if your hardware only meets the minimum requirements, you may experience a total scanning time of up to 45 minutes per scanning pass for the exact same object.
In either case, you can reduce the scanning time by more than 50% if you select the Turbo mode. This however, reduces the resolution.