Review: Creality Raptor Pro 3D Scanner

Manufacturer: Creality

Price: $1,899

Link: store.creality.com

Having a quality scanner to create duplicate items for 3D printing has long been a holy grail in the 3D printing community; when I worked for MakerBot it was jokingly referred to as the “washer/dryer” combo. Creality has launched a series of 3D scanners to try to step up to this goal, and their top of the line is the Raptor Pro, a scanner that brings a lot to the table, and a learning curve to match.

The Raptor Pro has both a blue laser line and IR scanner built in. The blue scanner is great for detailed small objects but requires tracking dots placed around the item. The IR scanner is perfect for scanning people.

I was really impressed by the quality of the scans: in blue line mode I was able to pick up the wood grain in an object, which really blew me away. I found IR structured light mode to work well for scanning people also.

Of course if you’re thinking you can just pick up a scanner, wave it around an object for a couple of minutes, and then be off to printing a few minutes later, you’re in for disappointment. The software from Creality does a great job of providing most of the tools you’ll need (I would love an easy way to seal the bottom of a scan) but it’s not the most intuitive I’ve used. You also need a relatively powerful computer to keep the frame rate and tracking in place.

At nearly $2K the Raptor Pro might also leave you with sticker shock, but if you compare it to high-end scanners with similar capabilities the price feels a lot more reasonable. Oh, and if it takes the sting out, it does come in a really nice hard-sided carrying case making it easy to scan on the go.

If you have the need, the time, and the money, the Raptor Pro is a great option, but likely not for the casual user.

This article appeared in Make:Volume 96. Subscribe to Make: for the latest articles.