TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Scan-to-Sample

Scope

Imagine loading an irregular block of metal, or a finished curved part, into a single station and walking away with precisely cut samples, no specialized machining expertise required.

Scan-to-Sample from Los Alamos National Laboratory makes that possible by weaving 3D scanning, design software and computer-guided cutting into one continuous digital thread, running from the first scan straight through to the finished part.

The system captures the true shape of the starting material, however curved or complex, then plans and carries out the cuts on its own, sparing operators the slow, error-prone job of hand-aligning and re-zeroing equipment for every specimen.

The payoff is faster turnaround, less wasted material and consistent, repeatable quality, bringing advanced machining within reach of a far wider range of users and parts.

How it Works The workflow begins when a scanning device, such as a laser scanner, optical scanner or contact probe, captures the exact geometry of the incoming material or part and produces an accurate digital 3D model.

Design software then imports that model, where an operator marks the locations, orientations and sizes of the samples or features wanted, and the software calculates the tool paths needed to reach them.

Those tool paths are converted into machine instructions, typically a G-code file, and loaded onto a computer numerical control machine, which secures the material and cuts the specimens by following the programmed paths without manual re-zeroing.

After cutting, the finished part can be scanned again and compared against the original model to confirm that every specimen meets the required tolerances.

Technical Description At its core, Scan-to-Sample links four cooperating elements: i) a scanning device that records the dimensional, geometr...