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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

What if it were possible to quickly and inexpensively manufacture a part simply by using a series of close-range digital images taken of the object [sciencedaily.com]?

Michael Immel, instructor in the Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, originally started thinking about the technique, called photogrammetry, for a different purpose, but quickly realized its application in manufacturing.

In this technique, digital images of an object that have been taken at various angles are used to create a point cloud -- or a large collection of points used to create 3D representation of existing structures -- from which a computer-aided design (CAD) file can be generated.

The resulting CAD file and subsequent 3D model could then be used to rebuild the part, or 3D print it, to its original specifications without using traditional methods, which are both expensive and time-consuming.

Surely you'd need an X-ray of internal structures, too?

Original Submission