Top 10 New Features in Artec Studio 16

As much as we love our Artec 3D Scanners, the real magic of Artec’s technology comes from their software. Every year, Artec introduces performance improvements and new features that blow us away, giving us faster and more powerful tools while capturing more data than ever before. Last year, we got HD Mode, which doubled the resolution for the Artec Eva and Artec Leo. This year, we get Artec Studio 16. Let’s take a look at my top 10 favorite improvements in this platform.

Artec Studio 16

1. Artec Cloud

Not so much a new feature as a whole new product! Artec Cloud offers users a way to view, collaborate, and process scan data from any device over the internet. This browser-based platform allows you to work on projects from your browser, work independently or with a team, from wherever you are. The free Viewer license will allow anyone to view, comment, and export scans and models. Collaboration licenses add the ability to import projects directly from an Artec Leo or Artec Studio. Processing licenses allow for full scan processing in the cloud.

2. 10x Faster Project Loading Times

Thanks to the new software structure, your projects will now load at least 10x faster – That’s less than 10 seconds for your average project. You no longer need to wait until the scans fully load either, start working with your data right away.

3. HD Mode Conversion Freedom

There is a lot to talk about here. First, HD data now reconstructs at double the speed. When working with an Artec Eva, users can store raw HD data in a project and choose when to run HD Reconstruction. When working with an Artec Leo, HD mode can now be transferred on SD cards. This will give users much more freedom, especially when working on remote, on-site scanning jobs.

4. Photorealistic Textures

With the new photogrammetry tool, we can get even better texture on our 3D models. Take photos around your scanned object with your camera or smartphone and upload them directly to Artec Studio 16. You can then easily build and map textures onto the mesh captured with your scanners. This means everything is done in one place, making it an extremely efficient workflow.

5. New Scan-to-CAD Tools

In Artec Studio 15, we gained the ability to fit CAD primitives (flat plane, cone, cylinder, and sphere) to our scan data. Artec Studio 16 adds Freeform and Torus shapes into the mix. The new segment brush makes it quicker and easier to select sections of the mesh for these operations. New constraints allow users to create CAD shapes parallel, perpendicular, concentric, or coaxial to each other. New measurement improvements like point-to-plane allow for better checks on designs.

6. Direct Export to Control X

Geomagic Control X has always been crucial for users who want to integrate 3D scanning into a QA/QC Department. Now after finishing a scan, Artec Studio can directly export to a specified inspection profile in Control X. Multiple scans can even be selected for a batch process.

7. Clear visualization

Large scan jobs, like those captured with the Artec Ray, can be difficult to view. The new “Transparent” mode now allows visualization of a mesh’s back face, where previously we couldn’t. View the whole model clearly from back to front! See for yourself:

8. Smart RAM Optimizer

I work on large datasets all the time. Scan data can be a big file, but you don’t need to worry if you have enough RAM to handle unloading and loading the data. Artec Studio will automatically unload the data you’re not using and load only the parts you need, making your workflow faster, smoother, and easier.

9. Global Registration Improvements

One of my favorite tricks on a difficult scan job is to run global registration on each individual scan before running it again on the larger group. Now, Artec Studio can handle this task alone while I do other things. New Global Registration modes “Collective,” “Separate,” or “Separate then Collective” cut out the manual steps.

10. No Need to Save

Have you ever lost hours of work when you forgot to hit “Save”? I know I have. All changes you make are now automatically saved while you work. Enjoy the peace of mind knowing your project data is continually updated and if you need to see a previous version, it’s just a matter of a quick keyboard shortcut.

Get started with 3D Scanning

These are just some of the key features of working with Artec Studio 16. As you dive in, you will notice a lot more benefits that will improve your overall workflow. From matching mesh scales to CAD-perfect cutting planes, improved HD quality and more, your scanning workflow will be more streamlined, you will notice higher quality results and have the option to experience a collaborative cloud-based environment. What are you waiting for?