This article is aimed at outlining the impact of different Artec Studio processes and algorithms on specific PC components (CPU, GPU, RAM...).
Side note: please also refer to these articles about choosing a suitable PC and recommended laptop configurations.
Scanning
The hardware requirements during the scanning process mostly depend on whether the Real-time fusion (RTF) algorithm is being used or not:
Case 1: Scanning without real-time fusion:
- RAM: used to store the scanned data.
- GPU: used to display the data on the screen and render the scanned data in the 3D View window.
- CPU: the cores are used for reconstruction and tracking (i.e. calculations and aligning the newly captured frames to previously captured ones). This process is performed in real-time at 16 FPS for Artec Eva and 8 FPS for Artec [Space] Spider.
Case 2: Scanning in real-time fusion mode:
- RAM: used to store the scanned data.
- GPU: used to generate a 3D meshed model in real-time (as well as to display the data on the screen and render the scanned data in the 3D View window).
Note: in Artec Studio 11 and newer, the only limit is the GPU memory of your card. This means that technically, there are no limitations in terms of object size (in comparison to older versions of Artec Studio). - CPU: the cores are used for reconstruction and tracking (i.e. calculations and aligning the newly captured frames to previously captured ones). This process is performed in real-time at 16 FPS for Artec Eva and 8 FPS for Artec [Space] Spider, but may perform slower if the GPU cannot keep up with building the Real-time fused 3D meshed model.
Post-scanning (only valid if the HD scanning mode was used)
- The GPU or CPU can be used to perform HD reconstruction calculations.
If a compatible GPU is detected, it will be used for HD reconstruction.
Otherwise, the CPU will be used. Resorting to the CPU will result in a very time-consuming calculation and may take multiple hours, depending on the number of frames to process. - The RAM is used to store the data during and after HD reconstruction.
Post-processing
- The calculations of most Artec Studio algorithms are distributed between the CPU cores.
A larger number of cores as well as higher per-core performance will both result in faster post-processing (keep this in mind if you are aiming to post-process large objects). For more details on CPU core usage, refer to the table further below. - RAM is used to store the data and any intermediate calculation results. If the amount of available RAM is insufficient, Artec Studio will move some of the calculations to the swap file (page file) on your hard drive. This will noticeably slow down the calculations.
- The GPU is used for texture mapping and for rendering the scans and/or fusions in the 3D View window.
Available texture atlas sizes (512 x 512, 1024 x 1024, 2048 x 2048, 4096 x 4096, etc) are displayed in the "Texture" section. The key factor defining available sizes is the amount of video memory (VRAM) on the GPU. Resolutions of 8192 x 8192 and higher will therefore only be available on higher-end GPUs.
CPU core utilization
| Algorithm | N of cores utilized by the algorithm |
| Fine registration | All processor cores |
| Global registration | All processor cores |
| Outlier removal | All processor cores |
| Fast fusion | All processor cores |
| Smooth fusion | One processor core |
| Sharp fusion | All processor cores |
| Mesh simplification | One processor core |
Note: Please be aware that the algorithms capable of utilizing multiple or all CPU cores may not do so at all times. Most algorithms execute a sequence of different steps, some of which may be multi-core, and some single-core.
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