Help comparing a scanned 3D printed dental model to original STL file

[nalawami]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to the technology and software and have a lot to learn.
I have the following application and if this can be done using CC. If so, please help me with a step by step guide.

I would like to check the accuracy of a 3D printer by comparing/calculating the distance between the original STL file and the scanned 3D printed model. A screen shot of CC after loading the files is attached.

1. Which parts of the DB tree window to highlight in order to perform the calculation?
2. Going to tools, which function shout I use?
3. Is it possible to display the deviation through a color/heat map?
4. Can the software generate a statistical report?

Thanks in Adance

Regards,
Nassar

[daniel]

First I have a question: are your meshes already aligned (it's not clear on the picture if we see only one mesh or the two already registered - in which case it would mean the 3D printer AND the scanner are pretty accurate but who know ;) ).

If not, then you should first register them: http://www.cloudcompare.org/doc/wiki/in ... gistration

1+2. Then you can use the "Cloud-to-Mesh distances" computation tool (http://www.cloudcompare.org/doc/wiki/in ... h_Distance)

3. Yes of course: see http://www.cloudcompare.org/doc/wiki/in ... properties and http://www.cloudcompare.org/doc/wiki/in ... es_Manager

4.More or less. You can show the histogram, compute a statistical distribution (I'll let you search on the wiki ;) ) and eventually you can export the data to CSV so as to analyse the data in Excel or Matlab, etc.