Bench record / observed, repeated, explained
A computer may launch scanning software and still fail under a live camera stream. A bench may look solid and still move when a turntable starts. This short acceptance test exercises both systems before calibration, while each fault can still be isolated.
The result is a recorded pass or a specific correction. The test does not rank processor brands or predict scan accuracy. It checks the purchased scanner, its current software, and the actual workstation as one installation.
Start with a model-specific requirement sheet
Download the current software and hardware requirements from the scanner manufacturer. Record the page title, access date, application version, supported operating system, memory requirement, graphics requirement, storage allowance, and connection type. Marketing pages and reseller tables can lag behind the installer, so the software support page should control.
Compare those requirements with the computer’s system information. Save a screenshot of the operating system build, processor, installed memory, graphics adapter, driver version, and free disk space. A simple table keeps the decision visible:
| Check | Manufacturer requires | Workstation reports | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Copy from current support page | Record exact edition and build | Pass or correct |
| Memory | Copy minimum and recommended values | Record installed amount | Pass or correct |
| Graphics | Record model or capability requirement | Record adapter and driver | Pass or correct |
| Connection | Record required port and cable | Name the physical port | Pass or correct |
| Storage | Record software guidance | Record free local space | Pass or correct |
Do not translate “recommended” into “required” or assume that a newer connector has the needed data mode. A USB-C socket describes shape, not guaranteed transfer capability. The computer or dock documentation must identify the port’s supported standard.
Prepare a clean connection test
Restart the workstation, close rendering and CAD jobs, and pause any optional background task that would obscure the test. Connect the scanner through the supplied data cable to the reserved direct port. Connect separate power exactly as the manual shows. Do not add an unapproved extension cable.
Launch the scanner application and confirm that the correct device name and serial appear. Open preview mode without recording. The live image or depth view should remain present while the cable is gently arranged into its working position. Connectors must not be wiggled during operation.
If the scanner is detected but live video fails, the USB path remains suspect. EinScan’s calibration support specifically recommends another USB 3 port and current USB drivers in this situation. Creality’s Raptor troubleshooting page also suggests another USB 3 port, including a Type-C port with the supplied adapter where applicable.
Run a repeatable computer load
Create a folder for the test project on the intended local work drive. Record free space before the run. In the operating system’s performance monitor, display processor, memory, graphics, and disk activity. The operator needs trends and visible warnings, not a single peak percentage.
Run preview for a defined shop interval, then make a short capture of the supplied or chosen reference object. Use the default quality mode recommended for a first scan. Rotate the view, stop capture, save the raw project, and run the normal initial processing step. Record:
- whether preview stayed connected;
- whether frames arrived continuously;
- whether the application displayed dropped-frame, memory, graphics, or device warnings;
- elapsed capture and processing time measured by the operator;
- project size and remaining free storage measured after saving;
- the highest sustained resource pressure visible in the monitor.
These values belong to this bench record. They should never be presented as a universal scanner speed. Object complexity, mode, frame count, texture capture, and software version can change the workload. Artec’s Micro documentation, for example, states that its high-resolution option produces substantially more polygons and that some automatic processing paths depend on compatible Nvidia graphics. The general lesson is to test the intended mode, not to generalize one vendor’s requirement.
Distinguish a slow run from an unstable run
A long processing time can be acceptable if the project completes and the shop’s workflow allows it. A disconnect, corrupted save, exhausted system drive, repeated application crash, or missing frames is a failed installation test.
When a run fails, change one variable and repeat. Move to another documented high-speed port before replacing the computer. Update the manufacturer-recommended driver before adding a dock. Save to a local drive before testing network storage. Reduce optional texture capture before reducing geometry quality needed for the job.
Label every repeat with its changed condition. “Run B: rear USB port” is useful. “Tried again” cannot support a diagnosis.
Exercise the bench during preview
With preview active and no valuable artifact on the turntable, perform the movements that occur during normal work. Reach for the mouse, type a project name, switch on the turntable, and walk along the planned path. Watch the live view and the physical stand.
The scanner should not nod when the keyboard is used. A cable should not tighten at the far end of operator travel. The turntable should rotate without touching markers, clamps, or its own lead. Nearby doors and drawers should remain usable without striking the setup.
Place a fixed visual reference in the preview and capture a short stationary sequence before and after each movement. The test is qualitative at this stage: it reveals obvious shifts, tracking interruptions, and vibration. Dimensional validation comes after calibration with a measured reference part.
Check lighting through the camera, not by eye alone
Place the intended reference object at working distance and inspect the software’s exposure or quality display. Change only the approved brightness or exposure control. The target should not be dominated by underexposed or saturated regions.
EinScan’s fixed-scan instructions show brightness being adjusted after distance and describe overexposed and underexposed feedback. Artec advises steady ambient illumination and preparation for reflective, transparent, black, or feature-poor objects. If a normal matte part only becomes visible under an extreme setting, review distance and room light before accepting that setting.
Repeat the preview with the task lamp on and off, and with blinds in the planned state. Choose one reproducible condition and document it. The best-looking image on a monitor is not automatically the best depth capture; software quality indicators carry more weight.
Set pass criteria before the final run
The shop should approve criteria that fit its work. A sensible acceptance record requires uninterrupted preview, a completed capture, a saved and reopened raw project, a completed first processing operation, no unexplained warnings, safe cable travel, and no visible bench shift.
Run the test once more without changing settings. Reopen the saved project after closing the application. Confirm that the raw data, chosen mode, and project notes remain available. Record the software version and workstation configuration alongside the result.
A pass means calibration can begin on a known connection and stable support. A failure should point to the next action: a documented port, a driver update, local storage, bench bracing, cable restraint, or a workstation that actually meets the manufacturer’s current requirement. That precision prevents a later tracking fault from being blamed on the scanner optics without evidence.