Fusion is a process that merges all the frames into a single polygonal model. The resulting model is also often referred to as a “fusion” or mesh - all the points collected during scanning are connected together, this way forming a combination of triangles or polygons.
MESH RESOLUTION
The interface of the Fusion panel is pretty straightforward - let’s go through it taking scans of transmission as an example.
First, you define the Max mesh resolution, that is the size of the finest possible detail on your model, in mm. So a lower figure here will result in better detail and higher resolution.
We recommend setting the value based on the finesse of the object’s geometry and the error of your scans. The better the scan quality, the better the resolution of the fusion may be.
| HD/SD scan error | HD fusion resolution | SD fusion resolution |
| 0.0-0.3 | 0.2-0.5 | 0.5-0.8 |
| 0.4-0.7 | 0.6-0.9 | 1.0 |
| 0.8-1.2 | 1.0-1.5 | 1.5-2.0 |
You can use the “Filter frames by error” setting to filter out all the frames with an “Error” value that doesn’t meet your standards - to be able to achieve a better resolution.
In general, a smaller resolution value will make the object’s geometry more pronounced, but equally will increase the number of polygons on the model and model processing time. If there are any registration errors or misalignments, they will be more noticeable.
Illustration: Resolution 0.3 VS Resolution 0.8
The lowest figures in particular are only viable if the user tries to achieve the best resolution possible, and only make sense if the details of the object being scanned are that fine.
| HD/SD scan error | HD fusion resolution | SD fusion resolution |
| 0.0-0.3 | 0.2-0.5 | 0.5-0.8 |
| 0.4-0.7 | 0.6-0.9 | 1.0 |
| 0.8-1.2 | 1.0-1.5 | 1.5-2.0 |
As soon as the resolution was defined, time to decide how pronounced you want that fine geometry on your model.
For an object with plenty of sharp details, corners, and edges go with the Sharpness equal to 1.
For an object with an organic shape that has a lot of noise and for which a high resolution is not a priority try bringing the Sharpness down a bit, halfway maximum.
Alternatively, you can employ a legacy Smooth fusion algorithm. To enable it, access Settings - General - Legacy - Enable old fusion algorithms and restart Artec Studio.
HOLE FILLING
Holes - unscanned areas - can be filled depending on their radius, or by your choice - if you pick the option Later, manually, or you can make your model Watertight and fill all holes.
The options with the word “relative” in their name are mostly useful for combined data from different scanners.
HD SENSITIVITY
Sometimes high-contrast areas on the object can be perceived as areas of geometrical difference, due to which texture bias is created on the model.
Illustration: SD Fusion Resolution 1.0, scan of the leaflet, HD fusion Resolution 1.0
The HD Sensitivity setting will help you deal with this.
The Low setting removes as much texture embossing as possible. It is useful whenever you've scanned difficult-to-scan surfaces. Without using this feature, the model can contain many surface artifacts.
The Ultra setting can be useful when you require the topmost resolution on all fine details.
Summarizing all this, for an object such as this transmission, we’d use the following settings:
Based on the average Error of our scans we will set the Max mesh resolution as 0.7.
We are highly interested in the good reconstruction of fine details on our transmission, therefore we will set Sharpness to 1.
The object was thoroughly scanned from all sides, so we will choose All (watertight) as the hole-filling option.
The rest of the settings we will leave at their default, and we are all set.
If you worked in one of the previous versions of Artec Studio, and miss the Fast fusion algorithm in this menu - don’t worry, we have kept it too! To enable it, access Settings - General - Legacy - Enable old fusion algorithms and restart Artec Studio.
Fast fusion is perfect as a quick preview - to see if there are any frames misalignments, especially on a scan of a large area. It does not perform any hole-filling and, compared to Smart Fusion, reconstructs the surface at the borders of a scan more accurately.
However, its surface generally tends to be more noisy.
In case you experience any issues with your Artec 3D scanner or require technical assistance with your device or Artec Studio, in the first instance please contact your local Artec dealer/distributor directly. You can also contact the Artec Support Team by clicking on "Submit a request" button on the bottom right part of the screen or by emailing support@artec3d.com