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Topic: matterform order update!

Hey! I just noticed that my matterform scanner order changed from "pending" to "in progress", and says "shipping shortly". I'll be more impressed though when I get an actual tracking number :-).

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Re: matterform order update!

Well, it still says "in progress", but their latest blog post says they are actually managing to trickle through customs to the L.A. warehouse. Maybe I'll find an actual tracking number has showed up sometime soon...

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Re: matterform order update!

Still no tracking number, but I see the matterform site now has a "help" link where you can read about calibration and software and wot-not. Not very much info there yet, but it is a start.

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Re: matterform order update!

Finally, a tracking number has appeared (but FedEx doesn't have it in their hands yet).

Looks like next week I'll be able to discover just how difficult it is to get USB pass through working with libvirt on Fedora so I can run the matterform software in a Windows 7 virtual machine. I don't have great hopes since one of the things that has to pass through is a webcam, but maybe qemu has improved since the last time I tried this.

5 (edited by bteeter 2014-08-23 03:12:08)

Re: matterform order update!

Yup got my tracking number also.  It is to arrive next Wednesday.  Have to sign for it and all.  Then we shall see how may stupid things I can scan.

Bob

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Re: matterform order update!

bteeter wrote:

Have to sign for it and all.

Yea, that is somewhat irritating. Not only do they require me to sign (which I can see them wanting), but the fedex web site won't even allow me to have it held at a fedex location so I can sign for it there when I get home. I probably would have stayed home to begin playing with it as soon as possible anyway, but it is annoying to be forced to do so :-).

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Re: matterform order update!

I seems that my scanner left Bloomington, Ca  at 7:33am Saturday.  It has to go all the way to Minnesota.  But they list that it will be delivered on Wednesday, which is the 1st day I work from home this week.  YUPEEEEEE!!!!!!   Sorry won't get much work done after it arrives.

Bob

8 (edited by rickq 2014-08-26 03:58:47)

Re: matterform order update!

Mine showed up today.  Have been working through issues:
1. Get the software from the website, You will need your serial number from the machine.  Good for 3 different CPUs.

2. Arduino Leonardo drivers would not install (they should do so automatically when you install the software).  After much messing around I found a USB port on my Dell Precision laptop that would work (it set itself to COM 8 by the way).  That specific port is the only one that works.

3. You are forced to calibrate the machine before use.  It would not calibrate.  It kept saying the room was too dark.  I brought it into bright sunlight and still no go.  Camera LEDs were on (can peek inside a little) so I figured more driver problems.  Device manager said drivers for Logitech C-270 webcam were installed, so I went to Logitech's website and downloaded the webcam app for a C-270 (my laptop does not have a webcam).  Running the logitech app showed what the camera was looking at, so the camera was working. 
Closed that app and launched the Matterform app and now all is well.  Whatever.

4. Scanning uses very little computer power.  You can do other things (SolidWorks will not mess it up).  Meshing the point cloud to create an STL takes more horsepower.  3 of the 4 cores run at ~50% at about 5Gb of RAM.

5. Something like a shot glass will take maybe 15 minutes at medium resolution.  5 minutes to clean things up.  10 minutes more to mesh and create an STL if you wish.  Big things make smoother scans.  Combining multiple scans prior to meshing can help smooth, but you may lose small details.

The attached pic is of a 2" tall part.  Native STL on the right, scan of high res SLA on the left.  This is a 1st attempt.

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Re: matterform order update!

Mine finally showed up today, and I immediately tried to passthrough the webcan and arduino to a Windows 7 virtual machine on my Fedora 20 box - arduino OK, webcam not OK. I'll need to investigate permission problems and wot-not with qemu and libvirt in the hopes that I can eventually get it to work right.

Meanwhile, I've got it plugged into a very inconveniently located Windows 7 real hardware machine with the scanner on a temporary perch. It does seem to be working on real hardware - I decided to go for broke and am scanning a ceramic elephant I had laying around that just barely fits on the bed. So far about 1/2 of an elephant appears to be taking shape on the computer screen, so it seems to be functioning well for my first scan.

10 (edited by Claghorn 2014-08-28 22:07:52)

Re: matterform order update!

I've been writing up my experiences so far and included some photos and screen shots here:

http://home.comcast.net/~tomhorsley/har … rform.html

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Re: matterform order update!

Yes - I got mine and the first problem is no 32bit drivers for windows.  They say that they will have them available on Monday the 1st.  So I built a 64 bit machine and I am in the process of getting the software I need installed on the box.

Bob