3Dnatives Lab: Testing Artec Micro 3D scanner

Founded in 2007, the manufacturer Artec 3D specializes in the development of professional 3D scanners, installing its equipment at the largest companies in the world including Tesla, Apple, Mercedes or Nike. One of the accomplishments of the the brand is its “Made in Europe” quality with the production of its scanners taking place in Luxembourg – an ambitious and quite unique decision that can only be welcomed. Initially, Artec 3D has made a place for itself on the market thanks to the success of its portable models Eva and Spider. Since then, the manufacturer has widened its range of products, with, notably, the Artec Micro, an equipment specially designed for the digitization and inspection of small parts such as mechanical components, jewelry parts or dental models with a starting price of 27.900€ or $29,300.

One of the strengths of the Artec Micro 3D scanner lies in its handling and the promise of being able to scan a part in one click. The Micro is presented as a fully automated fixed 3D scanner, allowing the scanning of parts up to 90 x 60 x 60 mm with an accuracy up to 10 microns and a minimum resolution of 29 microns. The Micro also offers the possibility to scan the texture with a resolution of about 6.4MP. Recently, 3Dnatives had the chance to get our hands on the Artec Micro for a complete test. Is the scanner really that easy to use? What type of parts can actually be scanned? Is it worth its selling price? Find below our feedback.

The Artec Micro is delivered with a calibration tray, 3 types of clamps, adhesive paste, spacers, a USB 3.0 cable, a power cable, a protection mat, and spare air filters.

1. Unpacking Artec Micro 3D scanner

Once removed from its wooden case, the Artec Micro reveals its compact proportions of 290 x 290 x 340 mm and its relatively minimalist style with a grey plastic top panel and a white metal side fairing. Its rigid structure and its weight of 12 kg give the scanner a real feeling of reliability. When unpacking the Micro, one discovers all the included accessories, namely a calibration tray, three different types of clamps to fix the part to be scanned, adhesive paste (Patafix type), spacers (to bring very small parts closer to the cameras), a USB 3.0 cable, a power supply cable, a protection mat, and finally spare air filters.