Laser scanning imperfections for greater realism.

[Neil]

I was reading an old MRJ in which Pugsley described using a burr and abrasives on the body of a JLTRT class 37 to better depict the wrinkles that diesel bodies acquire with age. I'm sure that one of the other contributors here has done something similar with a 4mm scale class 26. Both struck me as brilliantly insightful but difficult to pull off effectively. Then I started to wonder what happens when the real thing is laser scanned in preparation for the commercial production of a model. I assume that the resolution of the scanner is sufficiently good to pick up all the imperfections of the real thing but I've yet to see these realistic imperfections trumpeted as bringing an extra layer of realism to models derived from the process. I can only assume that at some stage in the design process all the wonky bits are tidied up.

 

I suppose that gives rise to two further questions, one for the experts and one for the lay public.

 

Are my assumptions about the scanning and design process broadly correct?

 

Is there a potential appetite amongst the model buying public for models that are less than perfect but more like the real thing, or would we prefer a tidied and sorted appearance?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I think I would like to see such a thing, the characteristic wrinkles and creases in the body side panels of a specific class from the applied stress. It would need to be subtle to look well. Experiments on a couple of old bodyshells convinced me that my own eye is not sufficiently well developed to control the process to my own satisfaction.

 

Bashed steel bodied open wagons are my metier, not nearly so subtle. I also have some 'dings' scattered around my steam locos based on memory and few photos: bent handrails, fair sized dents in a tender side, a cab door, cylinder cover, and to the top of the boiler cladding.

[HLT 0109]

What an interesting thought!  The problem however, with RTR products (and kits too), is that all examples of the particular product would carry the same imperfection(s).  Fine, I suppose, if all full size examples tended to show the same imperfections but a dent in a tender would probably be different from one loco to another.  Best, I think, that those imperfections are left to the individual modeller.

 

Harold.

[BlackRat]

Bit of a minefield as it wouldn't take long for the loco to be reissued under a new identity (ie a number change or livery change) and we all know that we would then get 47474 never had a wrinkle or crease at the fro nt/ rear/ upper/lower etc etc etc.

[Dagworth]

Bit of a minefield as it wouldn't take long for the loco to be reissued under a new identity (ie a number change or livery change) and we all know that we would then get 47474 never had a wrinkle or crease at the fro nt/ rear/ upper/lower etc etc etc.

47474 may not, but 47574 carried a quite distinct dent in one cab front... I'm proud to say that my model of her also carries it

 

Andi

[phil gollin]

................ the characteristic wrinkles and creases in the body ............ 

.

 

I did once suggest that at a loco scanning some of the attendees could be scanned such that realistic "OO" figures could be produced (especially if dressed as railway workers).

 

.

[MarkSG]

That's a really good question. I think the main issue with reproducing specific imperfections of a scanned prototype is that you are then explicitly making a model of that specific loco in a specific state. That makes it harder to use the base CAD data as the source of other variants (different liveries, weathered/unweathered, other numbers/names, etc).

 

I can see the attraction of including typical panel bashing as part of a factory weathering option, but it obviously wouldn't work for the pristine edition.

[Nimbus]

I started to wonder what happens when the real thing is laser scanned in preparation for the commercial production of a model. I assume that the resolution of the scanner is sufficiently good to pick up all the imperfections of the real thing but I've yet to see these realistic imperfections trumpeted as bringing an extra layer of realism to models derived from the process. I can only assume that at some stage in the design process all the wonky bits are tidied up.

 

Are my assumptions about the scanning and design process broadly correct?

 

Have a look at this!

 

The Nim.

[Ian J.]

What I want to know is exactly how much of the 3D scan data is used in the final CAD? My impression to date is that the scan data is used more as a 3D ruler to get measurements from while constructing a CAD from scratch, and as a way to do comparisons between CAD and prototype before committing to tooling.

[Rivercider]

The dent on the front of 33/0 and 33/2 locos above the coupling is quite common,

probably present on more than half the locos in normal service, but then I suppose there is a different size of dent on each loco!

 

cheers

[Neil]

Have a look at this!

 

The Nim.

 

Thanks Nimbus, it does look like the dings and dents are picked up by the scanning process. It'll be interesting to see if any make it into the model, though I doubt they will. From the other comments so far it looks as though there might be some appreciation of the typical bumps and creases but not those specific to particular pieces of rolling stock, in much the same way that there's a market for and appreciation of ready weathered stock.

[Maltazer]

Have a look at this!

 

The Nim.

 

I think I'd quite like to see that all make it on to the model - it just looks so much more like sheet metal with the dents!

 

Mal

[Glorious NSE]

Have a look at this!

Looks like they could bundle it with some very realistic overgrown cutting sides and industrial buildings!

[Andy Reichert]

IIRC, the 305 EMUS that ran past the bottom of my then garden, had considerable ripples in their body panels from new.

 

Andy

[Andrew F]

From the Hornby video it certainly looks possible and potentially realistic. The thing is how many would want such a model?.  Heljan tried their gloss finish on some of their loco's which I thought was an improvement but they were always the bargain bin stock so were nor received so well by the majority. Would ripples be a hit?

[corneliuslundie]

"I did once suggest that at a loco scanning some of the attendees could be scanned such that realistic "OO" figures could be produced (especially if dressed as railway workers)."

 

Alan Buttler was doing just that at Scalefour North at the weekend. One of the layouts had a model of its owner standing in the street.

[Neil]

"I did once suggest that at a loco scanning some of the attendees could be scanned such that realistic "OO" figures could be produced (especially if dressed as railway workers)."

 

Alan Buttler was doing just that at Scalefour North at the weekend. One of the layouts had a model of its owner standing in the street.

 

I came across this enterprise whilst in Barcelona last autumn. It's not cheap but it's an intriguing prospect.

[jjb1970]

I have seen people try to replicate the visible ripples on the hull of ships caused by the frames behind the outer shell plating but it tends to end up looking over the top and far too heavy. For a train I'd leave attempts to do this to weathering experts and keep the factory supplied models in factory fresh condition. Personally I'm not that impressed with factory weathering when it is limited to dirt (although Dapol did some good stuff) never mind trying to replicate dings and stuff.