Frequently Asked Questions

Q) The status bar of the FastSCAN program continues to show 'off-line' - what's gone wrong?

A) If this is a recent problem and you have been scanning successfully up until now, run through the following checklist: · Ensure you do not have another FastSCAN program still running from an earlier session; e.g., minimized. · Ensure that power is getting to the PU (the green 'Power' light on the front panel should be illuminated). · Ensure that power is getting to the Wand (the green 'Power' light on the Wand should be illuminated). · Ensure that all cables have been connected correctly. NOTE: The Receiver must be plugged in at all times even if it is not being used as the Reference at the time.


Q) I've just done a scan and there is nothing on the screen?

A) It is likely that the scanned surface is out of view. Try centering the scan - select Center from the View / Viewpoint menu (or hit the Insert key).


Q) When I do an export, the Export surface looks very "bumpy" - what's wrong?

A) Successive sweeps over the same part of the surface have not merged properly at the desired Resolution Clip in the Export Control dialog box. This may be due to the object or reference having been moved unintentionally during scanning, or interference from metal or electromagnetic fields in the vicinity. Possible solutions are to simply increase Resolution Clip (see figure below), or to undo the more recent sweeps over the offending area and rescan. As a last resort, start again after removing metal if necessary.


At higher Export Resolution setting (1mm) sweeps do not combine in overlap region (subject moved)
At lower Export Resolution setting (2mm) sweeps do combine

Q) I have "floating" fragments of surfaces in my scan that are unrelated to the object - what's happening?

A) The Wand's cameras may occasionally view a bright broad spectrum light source (e.g., sunlight from a window) that mimics the light of the laser. Therefore it is advisable to keep windows shuttered and avoid bright lights above and behind the scanning area, and to set the Sensitivity control as low as possible. To check whether extraneous light is being detected, enter View / Cameras (which displays what the cameras are seeing), and cover the laser. Anything visible in the display is then due to extraneous light.


Q) How close do I need to keep the FastSCAN components?

A) To ensure both high resolution and high accuracy, keep the Wand close to the object's surface during scanning, but no closer than 150mm (6") to keep within the field of view. If you are using the Receiver, parts of the surface closer to it will be scanned more accurately. Try to keep the Transmitter close to the Wand and Receiver as accuracy deteriorates with distance, but no closer than 150mm (6") to avoid signal overload. The maximum separation of any two components is about 750mm (30").


Q) How far away do I have to keep metal objects from the scanner?

A) Operation in the presence of metal objects may interfere with the tracking of the Wand and so may degrade performance. In general, as long as any large metal objects are kept at least one meter from the Wand, Transmitter and object being scanned, they should not pose a problem.


Q) I'm trying to process some scans on another computer, and the FastSCAN program seems to be affecting the printer - how can I stop this?

A) If you are using the FastSCAN program on a computer with a printer attached instead of the scanner, you should check the Scanner / Disable menu item. You will then be able to print as usual.


Q) What is the largest object that can be scanned?

A) FastSCAN is ideal for scanning objects less than a meter in size. However, using the optional Reference Receiver, it is possible to scan objects that are up to 3 meters in linear dimension. As an example, a 3.0 m (9'10'') surfboard was scanned, taking about 15 minutes to scan both sides, and is shown below.