The Racing Dhow is a hand-built traditional Arab racing boat, famous for its beautiful craftsmanship and success in competitions.

To keep this unique design alive, the owner decided to digitize the boat’s hull. This means creating a digital model of the boat, which can then be used to make exact copies.

In this case study, we will look at how Scantech’s advanced 3D scanning technology was used to achieve this goal.

Digitizing large and complex structures like the Racing Dhow can be challenging, but with Scantech’s solutions, these challenges were successfully overcome.

Challenges of Measuring the Dhow

The Racing Dhow measures 18.8 meters in length, 4.3 meters in width, and approximately 2.5 meters in height, making it a challenging subject for digitization. This necessitated equipment with exceptional on-site flexibility to capture accurate data from extensive surfaces.

The primary focus of the digitization project was the hull of the Racing Dhow, which encompasses both the left and right sides as well as the transom.

The hull’s large, curved surface demanded a high-resolution scan to accurately capture its intricate geometry.

This level of detail was essential for the fidelity of the digital model, which would serve as a reference for future manufacturing.

The hull’s reflective paint finish posed a potential challenge for traditional 3D scanning methods, as such surfaces can scatter lasers and impact data accuracy.

Limits of Previous Measurement Methods

Traditional measurement methods for large, complex surfaces like the Racing Dhow’s hull often involve manual techniques, which are time-consuming and prone to errors.

Time-consuming and Labor-intensive: The complex nature of dhow hulls often demanded significant human resources and time for manual measurement, drawing, and modification of design drawings.

Limited Accuracy and Precision: Traditional methods struggled to achieve high precision when dealing with intricate surfaces and details, potentially leading to substantial discrepancies between the final product and the design drawings.

Difficulty in Modification and Updating: Any design changes or updates necessitated manual redrawing and recalculations, resulting in repetitive labor and an increased risk of human error.

High Costs: The low efficiency and time consumption inherent in traditional methods doubled the overall cost of the design and manufacturing process. Skilled workers were required for manual drawing and model creation, and the difficulty of large-scale replication further inflated labor and material costs.

Solution and Advantages

KSCAN-Magic Composite 3D Scanner

KSCAN-Magic is an innovative composite 3D scanner integrating infrared and blue lasers for high versatility. This handheld scanner features five modes including large-area scanning, ultra-fast scanning and a built-in photogrammetry system.

The KSCAN-Magic excels in speed, precision, and capturing fine details over large areas, even on dark and reflective surfaces.

Unlike common 3D scanners that require additional equipment, such as separate cameras or tracking systems, for measuring extensive surfaces, the KSCAN-Magic delivers high-quality data independently.

Flexible Settings: The 3D scanner parameters were adjusted based on the dhow’s hull characteristics and specific data acquisition requirements to guarantee optimal scanning results.

Built-in Photogrammetry System: Leveraging the KSCAN-Magic’s integrated photogrammetry system, we achieved precise overall spatial positioning, eliminating accumulated alignment errors associated with large-scale part measurement.

Efficiency: KSCAN-Magic’s versatility empowered a comprehensive 3D capture of the dhow’s hull. Leveraging its large scanning area (1440 mm x 860 mm) and high-speed scanning rate (4.15 million measurements per second), the scanner swiftly captured the intricate curves of the hull in 3D.

Excellent for Reflective Surfaces: The scanner’s advanced blue laser technology and high-precision data capture capabilities effectively handled the reflective surfaces, ensuring the complete capture of the hull and its intricate features. Even in intricate crevice areas, the scanner’s deep-hole scanning mode captured exceptional detail, ensuring no feature was overlooked.

Data analysis: Following the successful scan, the acquired 3D data was processed in professional software. This process yielded a high-fidelity 3D model of the hull including accurate hull line plans and geometry, paving the way for subsequent design optimization efforts.

Conclusion

The digitization of the Racing Dhow’s hull using Scantech’s 3D solutions showcases the capabilities of advanced scanning technology in capturing large, complex surfaces with high precision.

The project highlights the significant advantages of Scantech’s integrated photogrammetry and infrared laser systems, which provided efficient, accurate, and high-quality digital data.

These benefits not only met the client’s needs but also set a new standard for large-scale digitization projects. As a result, the Racing Dhow’s design can now be preserved and replicated, ensuring its legacy continues in future competitions.