AutoSCAD: Automatic Scan to CAD

As equipment ages and global events interrupt critical supply chains quickly, creating solutions for components that integrate well without impacting system performance is necessary.  The mission of Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD) is to repair and modernize air and missile defense and precision fire systems to enable multi-domain operations for U.S. and Allied forces. As part of the Army’s organic industrial base, LEAD supports unit readiness, maintains surge capability in times of war and contingency, and is actively modernizing to sustain the next generation of Army equipment. LEAD’s expertise and capabilities span many disciplines including electrical, electronics, automotive, power generation, fabrication, and engineering.  The average age of the air and missile defense and precision fire systems that Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD) repairs and modernizes is 30 years old. There are currently 500+ parts associated with these assets that do not have corresponding technical data packages. Often the original manufacturers for those parts are no longer in business and the parts needed are not readily available. Consequently, obtaining the corresponding technical data needed to create the digital representations required to implement advanced manufacturing methods is often not possible.  Resulting in delays in the repair and modernization process for LEAD. Commercially available scanning technologies, e.g., structured blue light, can facilitate development of digital models from existing components.  Generally, these scanning technologies are used to obtain large discrete data sets that define the component in 3D space, e.g., point cloud.  Then commercially available reverse engineering software is used to re-create the component in a CAD environment.  Despite recent advances to automate aspects of the process of converting scan data to a 3D digital model in a CAD environment, it is still a labor intensive process and requires a certain level of expertise.  Consequently, for the LEAD to continue to capitalize on the lead-time and cost reductions provided by advanced manufacturing, a technology to automate the process of converting 3D scanning data to 3D digital models in a CAD environment is needed.