Some readers may consider that a revolting oversimplification, but it is a helpful one to make a point about how 3D scanning, 3D printing, and CAD work do (and don’t) work together.

Looking to make a 3D scan but can't afford to splash out on all that expensive hardware? Thanks to affordable consumer electronics such as PrimeSense's Carmine, you can now capture 3D images at home.

With OpenScan project software, Raspberry Pi, and the Pi camera v2.1, Megel created a budget-friendly 3D-scanning system that's able to capture highly accurate 10-micron 3D scans with relative ease.

We’ve featured huge numbers of 3D scanners over the years, including a look at how not to make one.