This Over-Engineered 3D Scanning Turntable Can Handle Anything

3D scanning is a very finnicky process. One of the most frustrating challenges is capturing the scanned object from every angle, which is tricky when that object is big, heavy, or awkwardly shaped. Most of the turntables that come with 3D scanners are too flimsy and lack fixturing options. That’s why Chris Borge did was he does and over-engineered this 3D scanning turntable.

At its heart, this is still just a turntable: a motorized platform that rotates objects in front of a 3D scanner to capture all sides. With a good turntable like this, you might only need to flip the object once to get the bottom side — or not at all, if the bottom is completely flat or you raise it off the bed.

That second part is one of the key features of this turntable. It has a grid of mounting points, so Borge can attach various fixtures to raise and orient the object however he likes.

The physical build will look familiar to anyone who was seen Borge’s projects before. It is 3D-printed, but the base is filled with concrete to add weight and make everything stable. A very large ring bearing ensures that the table turns smoothly without any wobble that could make the object shake and ruin the scan. A motor controlled by an Arduino Nano R3 rotates a gear that turns the table, with simple controls for rotation direction and speed.

That proved to be a winning formula, because the scanning results are fantastic. Borge was able to get the objects up off the table and scan all sides.

And as a bonus, the turntable can mount onto a linear slider for capturing pretty shots for Borge’s videos.