Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by sreed »

This forum continues to surprise! Thank you all so much for your very valuable feedback, suggestions, validation, condolences, etc.

While frustrating to find this out-of-calibration behavior so soon after its annual calibration, there is some warm/fuzzy feeling in finding an explanation to some of our challenging projects lately. What is common to all is they involved long distances. That makes perfect sense with the collimation being more pronounced at greater distances.

Scanner is en-route to Faro for callibration. Fortunately we have a superb rep who will hook us up with another scannner while ours is out. #dicarlo1

I'm still not clear on how to do the elevation analysis without going through Cloud Compare. It should be possible in Recap, but the scale manipulator on the color legend is hidden behind the "Search" button (but that is a different issue for another thread! :)

Cheers to all!
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by dlague »

Hi,

I add the very same issue earlier this year when our X330 came back from calibration ! We detected this issue by comparing in 3D the distance between point clouds after target based registration (with M3C2 in Cloudcompare) and observed large variations in registration distance across the seam (5 cm at 80 m distance). Indeed, the method that one of the user was suggested was very efficient to highlight the issue : scan a flat wall in your office, or better at longer range with a high quality setting (at least 4x), and check from the vertical the seam to evaluate the distance between the points. Careful: the misalignment is not constant along the vertical axis, so check at various elevations.

I was really angry at Faro, as our instrument was working perfectly during the first year (never noticed this issue before we sent it for calibration/maintenance), and it came worse after calibration !
I think this where the real issue is: the certificate that Faro issues only pertains to range accuracy and noise, not how this accuracy varies in 3D. We don't know how many targets are they using and their spatial distribution. I'm not sure there's a specific test of the "seam" quality, nor calibration including this parameter.

Following my complaint, Faro sent us back a replacement, nearly new X330 for an important field mission that I tested immediately. It was actually worse than mine for the seam ! (I don't remember the values, but I ). We ended up keeping ours for several important jobs. Our X330 came back from servicing last week, and I haven't had the chance yet to check the quality of the seam. Finger crossed.

One solution that might improve things: we ended up improving the faulty data (i.e. improving the registration error), by using the calibration of our instrument before it went for calibration. I don't remember the details, but you need to open a Scene projet from the previous instrument and somewhere export "compensation". Then reimport it for each scan. It was not perfect, because I suspect as our instrument was open for maintenance, some things might have slightly change, but it was a bit better.

to conclude: the real problem is the calibration/certification method used by Faro which is too incomplete to correctly sort out this problem. Faro need to improve on this: it is not down to the user to check their instrument.
Advanced self-calibration techniques exists that can correct these issues (e.g. D. Lichti's papers) and I'm surprised that Faro does not apparently use them for the calibration of their instruments.

I think it'd be a good idea for all user of X330 to actually "check their seam" at ~ 50 m distance, and to gather the results in this thread. This may help Faro to react on this important issue, hard to detect when you're not working on flat surfaces and double checking your cloud alignment (all the more important for an instrument, which have a 300 m range, but which is still certified with targets at a maximum range of 25 m ! Come on Faro, you can do better than that ;-))
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by [email protected] »

I've had a similar problem with our 120.

I am currently converting one of my scans to a ptx so I can try the script file provided earlier in this thread. However, even if the script works I don't see this as a good solution because ptx files are huge and the export process takes a long time.

I've lost a tremendous amount of money as I've had to re-scan three different fairly large projects due to this problem. I don't understand why Faro can't provide software to correct this problem when it arises. This would be favorable to re-scanning.

I would also like to see a comment from a Faro rep on this forum in regards to this issue and what they plan to do about it.
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by willytorres »

Hola.
Yo tengo un Faro Focus 3d 130x y tengo este problema desde hace medio año aproximadamente...
No solamente se ven en el preview sino tambien en los datos de la nube de puntos...
que puedo hacer??
saludos
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by willytorres »

Me sale este mensaje :(
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by 3DForensics »

¿Cuántos años tiene este escáner? Parece ser un Focus 120
How old is this scanner? It appears to be a Focus 120

Has the firmware been updated recently or has the scanner ever been sent back for calibration?
¿Se ha actualizado recientemente el firmware o se ha enviado alguna vez el escáner para su calibración?

The error you are getting has something to do with the little checkered marker right under the mirror (if I am not mistaken). Your scaner might need to be calibrated.
El error que está recibiendo tiene algo que ver con el marcador pequeño a la derecha debajo del espejo (si no me equivoco). Es posible que su escáner deba calibrarse.

Eugene
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by willytorres »

Muchas gracias por la respuesta.
Lo calibre en el 2017.
Firmare actualizado el año 2018.

Gracias por sus datos
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by willytorres »

Eugene es un Faro Focus 130x
Gracias
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by willytorres »

Buenas tardes y gracias por la ayuda.
Este espejo?
Así es o está sucio?

Saludos
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Re: Scan data anomaly: Focus 330 out of calibration?

Post by 3DForensics »

Yes, the little black and white target under the mirror. However, it may not be that your mirror is dirty. It could be due to other factors. I had this error once a long time ago on a Focus 120 and it only happened while scanning near the end of the day and where I had strong sunlight low in the sky. My only reasoning was that somehow the scanner was catching a glare but there is no way for me to know if this is in fact true or even if the error was related.

You can update the firmware relatively easily by following instructions online and then see if you get the error again

Sí, el pequeño objetivo en blanco y negro debajo del espejo. Puede que no sea que tu espejo esté sucio. Podría ser debido a otros factores. Tuve este error una vez hace mucho tiempo en un Focus 120 y solo sucedió mientras escaneaba cerca del final del día y donde tenía mucha luz solar en el cielo. Mi único razonamiento fue que, de alguna manera, el escáner estaba captando un resplandor, pero no hay manera de que sepa si esto es cierto o incluso si el error estaba relacionado.

Puede actualizar el firmware con relativa facilidad siguiendo las instrucciones en línea y luego ver si vuelve a aparecer el error.

Eugene
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