The Creality CR-Scan 01 has a few important features worth talking about, so let’s dive into the most relevant ones.

Accuracy

With any 3D scanner, accuracy is an important element. According to Creality, the CR-Scan 01 maintains an accuracy of just 0.1 mm, the same as the CR-T. This accuracy is great given the price, especially when we consider that other devices, such as the Artec Eva Lite, cost thousands of dollars more and have the same accuracy.

The resolution is a characteristic similar to accuracy and defines the minimum distance between two points on a scanned object (there are thousands, maybe millions of points in any scan). The CR-Scan has a scan resolution of 0.5 mm, which may not be enough for very detailed work, but is more than sufficient for simple captures.

Range

Range is another important part of the scanner and can be considered in terms of two values: the operating distance and the single-frame coverage (scan area). The former defines the distance from which you can use the 3D scanner to scan an object, while the single-frame scan area is the rectangular area that the device takes a picture of for each frame of the scan.

As you might expect, the higher the operating distance value, the easier it is to scan larger objects because you can scan them from further away. On the other hand, the single-frame coverage defines the size of each individual frame that makes up the final scan, usually measured in millimeters. It takes an enormous number of frames to scan a large object, so a larger frame size can be easier to work with.

The CR-Scan 01 has an effective functional scanning range of 400-500 mm and a scanning area of 536 x 378 mm. This is a pretty good balance for a low-cost, consumer-grade 3D scanner.

One other note to add to our discussion of the CR-Scan’s abilities is that you can scan models in color. Known as texture mapping, the scanner takes color images and applies them to models. This feature might be helpful for digitizing objects for applications other than 3D printing.

Usage modes

3D scanners can be handheld, stationary, or a combination of both, with each usage method offering different benefits. Handheld scanners make it easier to scan large models or parts that can’t be placed onto a scanning platform for stationary scanners. Stationary scanners usually offer better accuracy and resolution, and you don’t have to worry about keeping a steady hand.

The CR-Scan device, in stock form, is a handheld device, but there’s also an optional tripod and motor-controlled turntable. These accessories allow you to convert the CR-Scan 01 into a stationary scanner. For optimal results, you can place objects on the turntable, which will rotate them so that the scanner (on the tripod) can capture the object’s full design.

Upload Process

We’ve gone over the hardware, now it’s time to consider the software. Creality’s proprietary CR Studio software is free to download.

While in use, the scanner needs to be tethered to a computer with CR Studio downloaded and opened, via the included USB 3.0 cable.

After you finish scanning, you can process the design in CR Studio, which will eliminate noise in the scan images, improving the captures. Once this is complete, you can download your scan as either an STL and OBJ 3D model. (If you want to retain the scan’s color information, OBJ is the one you need.)

To understand the scanner’s strengths and weaknesses, let’s compare it to a similar product. The Revopoint POP was originally released in 2021 for around $550 over the crowdsourcing platform Kickstarter. While similar in price to the CR-Scan, the two devices have a lot of technical differences.

One of the most significant differences between these two devices is that the Revopoint POP’s resolution of 0.3 mm is superior to the CR-Scan’s 0.5 mm. Both resolutions are great for most scans, but you can expect more detail picked up by scans made with the POP.

The POP may take the cake in resolution, but the tables turn when it comes to scanning range. The CR-Scan has a functional scanning range between 400 and 500 mm, around 2-4 times further than the range of the POP (100-275 mm).

As for the scanning methods, both devices can be used in stationary (tripod with a turntable) and handheld modes. The difference is that the POP can work in handheld mode with a mobile device using Revopoint’s Handy Scan app. The CR-Scan isn’t compatible with mobile devices, but this might not be a bad thing because users have reported that POP’s scanning mobile app is somewhat unreliable.

Both scanners can capture objects in color, but the Revopoint POP can export scans in a broader range of file formats. As we’ve mentioned, the CR-Scan, with the CR Studio software, can only export models in the STL and OBJ formats. The POP, with the Revopoint Handy Scan software, also allows you to export scans as PLY files.

Overall, both products are excellent choices for budget 3D scanners, but they have their respective audiences. The Revopoint POP is probably best for those who want more detail in their scans and a wider variety of export format options. On the other hand, the CR-Scan is perhaps best for people who want a larger scanning range and who don’t need a mobile app or to export in the PLY format.

As you know by now, the Creality CR-Scan 01 has a lot of useful features. Here are more of the technical specifications for this 3D scanner:

• Technology: Structured light
• Accuracy: 0.1 mm
• Scan resolution: 0.5 mm
• Frame rate: 10 frames per second
• Operating distance: 400-500 mm
• Single frame scan area: 536 x 378 mm
• Hand-held: Yes (with optional tripod stand)
• Color in scans: Yes (optional)
• Interface: USB 3.0 port
• Compatible software: Creality CR Studio
• Compatible output formats: STL, OBJ

You can purchase a Creality CR-Scan 01 for around $700 from a variety of online retailers.

Creality CR-Scan 01

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