Making my own custom dive mask, 3D scans and 3D printed

[Rturk3]

Happy new year Scubaboard, I am working on a project to build custom SCUBA masks. My goal is to create a profile that is custom fitted to the face, doesn't leak, and is comfortable for long dives. I recently completed time as a Navy submariner and diver and experienced issues with my mask on long dives.

I have experience in product design and development and will use some pretty trick gear: a structured-light 3D scanner and a 3D printer. I am exploring ways of collecting facial scan data both in person with the scanner and remotely with pictures.

I hope you will enjoy following along as I work on this project. (I have my new 3D printer in the mail as we speak! :cool2

Here's my progress so far: you can see more at my blog at www.reeftoridge.com

One of the first challenges that needs to be tackled for producing custom SCUBA masks is capturing facial data of customers and producing an accurate and useable 3D model from it.
At first I tried a program called "FaceGen". FaceGen uses photographs, typically two profiles and a frontal, and generates a 3D model of your face.
​

​

The models look great and they look like you, but when you inspect the actual mesh (the underlying 3D data) you see that a generalized shape is modeled and not an accurate one. FaceGen uses statistical data about human faces to generate it's models. Ultimately, the purpose of this software is to create realistic looking faces for uses in games and animation. Despite early promise, I was off to find another solution.
It was inconceivable to develop my own software solution, accomplishing that would be a significant start-up by itself, so I continued to search for software that took 2D images and converted them to 3D models. I found a product from Autodesk called 123D Catch. "Catch" as I'll refer to it is a free application that takes images and creates 3D models from them. To accomplish this, the user takes a series of high resolution photographs around a stationary object. The better the photos and the more of them, the better the 3D model. (Autodesk 123D Catch | Generate 3d model from photos) Here's an example of the photographs I took to create a test model of my face:

Each was taken with a Canon point-and-shoot, so nothing fancy. The images are taken in good light. I remained perfectly still and my wife simply rotated around me with the camera, trying to remain roughly equidistant from my head. I included a scale in the image, each circle is exactly one inch. This would be used later to scale the model.
Once the images are on your computer, you simple upload them into 123D Catch and the image processing is handled on Autodesk servers. Here is a screen cap of the raw 3D model output from 123D Catch, which can be exported to a standard 3D mesh format.

At this point I was pretty amazed, in the 123D Catch software this model could be rotated and zoomed. Now I needed a program that could take this data and export it to a useable format. I found a solution in Meshlab, a free program that allows the viewing and manipulation of 3D meshes. (www.meshlab.sourceforge.net) Underneath the 3D model above is something called a "mesh". Meshes uses hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of linked triangles to define a 3D model. Here is my face, viewed as a mesh:

And here it is as a rendered 3D model, after I trimmed the mesh:

Look at the level of detail. You can see the clear outline of the features below my nose, the shape of the bone of my brow and cheekbones. There are some aberrations, for example I don't have a wart-like bump on my nose. However, for the purposes of creating a custom mask, this is sufficient.
The last challenge was ascertaining whether this 3D model was dimensionally accurate. To do that, I took measurements on several of the prominent features of my face: the space between the cupid's bow of my lips, and the distance between my pupils:



I didn't have the processing power or a program capable of scaling or warping the model to achieve dimensional accuracy. To accomplish this task I hired a freelance 3D modeler through the website Upwork.com. (www.upwork.com) I highly recommend Upwork. You can hire freelance workers to perform almost anything you can imagine: 3D modeling, website programming and design, logo creation, and copy-writing. This is just a small example of the skills Upwork freelancers possess. These workers come from all over the world. I hired a gentleman and for 25 USD, he trimmed, scaled, and validated the dimensional accuracy of my model within one day. He also converted the mesh into a .STL format, which is required for 3D printing. For perspective, a brick-and-mortar 3D modeling company quoted 450 USD for the same task. Here is the completed 3D model, ready for 3D printing (loaded into another free program for validating 3D print models: netfabb)

To summarize so far: I set out with the goal of generating an accurate 3D model of my face using nothing but photographs. The intent is to allow my customers to remotely provide the data necessary to create a custom SCUBA mask. I am running a lean start-up operation here so low-burn (i.e. little $$) is key. So far I've strung together a series of free software packages and leveraged freelance skilled labor: 123D Catch, Meshlab, Upwork, and netfabb.
What do you think it would cost to print a 1:1 scale 3D model of your head? If you asked a brick-and-mortar shop, the cost is in excess of $1000. Can you imagine my disappointment if my model turned out to be inaccurate? $1000 out the door. For perspective, a Flashforge 3D printer itself costs $1000. Here comes another byproduct of the amazing "maker" revolution that we find ourselves in. A time when the online community of inventors, tinkerers, and makers are coming together to empower each other's projects. Enter 3DHubs.com. 3DHubs pairs people with 3D printers with people who want their models 3D printed. For $40, a fellow in Kansas 3D printed my face in ABS plastic and then acetone vapor-polished it to achieve a smooth finish.
Most home desktop printers are FDM, or Fused deposition modeling:

A plastic filament is feed and heated before being extruded on a flat bed. The extruder moves in the X and Z direction while the bed moves up and down in the Y direction. Here is a typical result:

Do you see the small ridges? This is a result of the printer resolution limitations. You could mechanically smooth these with sandpaper or a grinder but the fine print detail would be lost. Another option is called acetone vapor polishing. The print is immersed in a cloud of acetone vapor which effectively melts the surface layer of the print, achieving a smooth finish while maintaining details. Here is the finished 3D print of my face:

I won't typically print the heads of all of my customers but I wanted to this first time in order to verify the accuracy and dimensionality of my 3D data. From this head I'll take some measurements and pull a few clay models and fit them to my actual face. Here's a sneak peek of the mask model:

I hope you've enjoyed following along on this first technical post. I encourage you to explore the various websites, software, and services that I mentioned in this post. It is truly amazing what you can accomplish with open source digital technology and the trend towards community 2-sided markets like Upwork and 3DHubs. Check back for when I discuss the process of designing a mask around this 3D model. You can check out more at www.reeftoridge.com. If you have any questions or comments please post or send me a PM

 

[Couv]

Very interesting. Keep it coming, and good luck with your project.

 

[Rturk3]

Thanks for your interest! My new 3D printer and 3D scanner are in the mail and I just hired on our first mechanical engineer. I'll post an update here soon and at my blog at custom scuba masks that fit perfectly. Rx lenses available. Keep checking back!

 

[djdalite]

Awesome work. Hope it becomes a viable solution for divers and profitable for you


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rturk3]

I have had a productive 3 weeks. I just signed up my 10th pilot customer and added two new team members: a manufacturing VP and an engineer who will handle the advanced surface modelling and mold design. You can find this blog post and other updates at my website: http://www.reeftoridge.com.

The 3D printer market has exploded since I first used an industrial machine during my mechanical engineering education. At the time, I had to submit my files and request weeks in advance to Georgia Tech's 3D printer lab while an operator worked through the que. The machine in use cost tens of thousands of dollars and the quality was average. Furthermore, it could only print in one material and in one color.

Today, only 7 years later, I now have a 3D printer of my own, on my desk, for less than two-thousand dollars. It can print everything from rigid ABS plastic in any color to flexible rubber-like filament. The level of detail and quality of the prints are excellent as you'll see. The acceleration of the 3D printer market is often compared to the progression of the personal computer market in the 60's and 70's and while there are similarities, I don't think the comparison is completely valid. It will be hard for 3D printers to achieve the level of impact that personal computers have had. Who knows though, if Amazon innovates a way to one-click 3D print orders into your home, that could tip the balance..

The printer I chose is the Lulzbot Mini by Aleph Objects. The 4 technical specifications that most consumers evaluate when choosing a 3D printer are: print volume (the size of objects that can be printed), print resolution (the smallest level of detail achievable), and material compatibility (which print material can be used). Price and customer support are also important considerations. I needed a printer capable of 3D printing objects the size of a SCUBA mask (5-6 inches on a side), with the flexibility to print both rigid and flexible plastics. As an example, I need to prototype both the rigid plastic frame of my mask and the flexible skirt. Most desktop 3D printers on the market can print as small as 100 microns (1/10th a millimeter). The Mini can print down to 50 microns (2 thousandths of an inch) which is detailed enough for my needs. Lastly, the Lulzbot team has a sterling customer service reputation for when things don't go according to plan.

The Lulzbot Mini ready to be unboxed. I was like a kid on Christmas. The Lulzbot is designed to "print out of the box". Aleph includes everything you need to get that first print started: a sample length of High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), a "getting started guide", and various tools for removing your 3D print. They even include a small octopus print that was printed on your unit during quality testing.

With the included getting started guide, I walked step-by-step through my first print.

Lulzbot uses open-source 3D printing software called Cura. Cura loads your 3D model, allows you to scale/size/position the model, and transmits the printing instructions to the Lulzbot Mini when you're ready to print. I like the layout of the program: by selecting your experience level (beginner to advanced) the software automatically tailors the range of options and settings. This provides flexibility to the advanced user while not overwhelming a beginner.

My first print is the "Rocktopus", the official mascot of the Lulzbot mini.

As I mentioned in my post on building a 3D facial model, this printer is called a "fused deposition modeling" type. The heated extruder seen in this image pushes out molten plastic through a very fine orifice. The plastic is extruded onto a heated printing platform made of borosilicate glass coated with PEI, a chemical that promotes adhesion when hot and print removal when cooled. A note for those interested in the Mini: the printer self-levels the print bed which is an incredible feature, especially if you simply want to load a model and print versus fine tune and customize each setting.
My rocktopus in progress:

The completed model, along side the octopus printed during testing at the factory:

Finally, a short video of the printer in action:



Please check back in the next few days. I have two new team members to introduce and I'll include a write-up about the 3D scanner I've selected to collect 3D facial data. Lastly, I will include an update on the progress to my business lean canvas.

 

[Rturk3]

Here is another update on my project. Learn more through my progress blog at www.reeftoridge.com.

Before you can have a mask that is custom-fitted to a diver's face, you must have the diver's face (and by that, I mean their facial data). There has been an explosion of 3D scanner options over the past 5 years. Scanners can range in cost from $250 all the way up to $50,000. As you can imagine, the quality ranges are drastic, too. That $250 scanner is really nothing more than a toy that generally produces poor results. The $50,000 unit is used by corporations to scan everything from jet engine blades (to determine erosion) to race tracks (for modeling in computer games).

The two primary types of 3D scanning technology are structured light and laser. Structured-light scanners (shown below) work by projecting a pattern onto the object and processing this image through an HD digital camera. You can see the white and black bars of light bend over the curvature of the object. These deflections of the light pattern are interpreted by the software as features of the object, often with accuracy in the thousandths of an inch.

A laser scanner emits a visible laser beam and detects the reflection of that light back towards the scanner, as shown below:

For my masks, I chose a structured-light scanner from David 3D systems in Germany. I chose this scanner for three reasons: 1.) It didn't cost $50,000, 2.) It has an excellent reputation for ease-of-use and producing quality scans, and 3.) It is flexible enough and portable enough to travel with me as I collect scan data from customers. This is the David SLS-2:

The scanner is a system comprised of the following elements: An HD projector that displays a structured-light pattern, an HD digital camera that captures the images, a mounting apparatus that accurately positions the projector and camera in relation to each other, and lastly, a set of calibration panels for set-up.

The included David4 software is used to control the equipment, collect the scans, and process the data into a useable 3D model. After a quick calibration, the scanner is ready for use. When scanning a face, I have the subject stand against a wall with their head firmly anchored on the wall. When ready, the scanner is moved into position and the pattern is projected onto the subject’s face.

The rest is simple: To capture scans in a variety of perspectives, I have the subject turn their head to many different angles. I have my subjects hold their breath during the short scan (7 seconds) to minimize movement. When they are done, the series of scans are arranged in David like this:

The David4 software is intuitive and allows the user to easily align the various scans into a 3D model. Below is a screenshot of that process. David reads each scan and intelligently aligns the features. In my experience, this happens successfully over 90% of the time. Once the initial alignment is complete, the user conducts a "global fine registration," which further refines the alignment to produce the best scan possible. Once complete, the scan can be exported into a useable file format. Here, you can see the individual scans laid out:

And here, you’ll see the individual scans aligned and overlaid on one another:

Once complete, the scan can be exported into a useable file format. The individual scans are laid out. So how is this scan data used? Here is a screenshot of my 3D face with contour lines for the mask drawn on them:

These contour lines will then be used to develop the mask’s sealing surface.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Stay tuned for another update in the next week or so, documenting the 3D printing of the first custom-fitted mask parts and fabrication of a test part using healthcare-grade silicone.

 

[wineguydoug]

really cool. You mentioned GA tech. Where are you located? I'm in Savannah GA and would love to see this for myself sometime!

 

[MRadke]

I noticed that all of your scans are without a regulator. You might consider having your test subjects be scanned with the regulator to collect any distortion caused by the reg.

 

[Rturk3]

Just wanted to update this thread that we are now selling pilot customer masks and have updated our website: www.reeftoridge.com. Custom masks are now a reality!

 

[Skeptic14]

Very interesting, thanks for posting your progress. A couple questions, the images where you show the sealing surface goes across the bridge of the nose instead of under the nostrils, do you use the individual's contour lines to make the surface beneath the nostrils as well or is that standard?

What is the price to have a custom mask made?