Practical scanning guide
3D Scanner Accuracy
Accuracy, volumetric accuracy, resolution and point distance explained with real manufacturer claims, plus a demo sheet to check accuracy on your own part.
Separate the six terms
Manufacturers do not all define these terms the same way. When a number will influence your decision, ask for the test method behind it.
Scroll horizontally to compare all columns.
| Term | What it describes | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | How close a measurement is to a reference, under the conditions the manufacturer states | That every dimension of every object will meet the headline figure |
| Volumetric accuracy | How error grows over a measuring volume or length, often written as a fixed part plus an amount per meter | That it can be compared with a single-point accuracy figure |
| Resolution | How finely the scanner or software resolves detail, as the manufacturer defines it | That fine detail is dimensionally correct |
| Point distance | The spacing of points in a given mode | That this spacing is the measurement error |
| Precision | How closely repeated results agree with each other | That those tightly grouped results agree with the reference |
| Repeatability | How closely results agree when the setup, operator and conditions stay the same | How results change with a different operator, day or setup |
A scanner can repeat the same offset every time and still miss the reference. A dense mesh can preserve noise as faithfully as real detail. Keep the reference check and the repeat-scan check as two separate pieces of evidence.
The smallest number on a product page is rarely the one that decides your purchase. Before comparing scanners, find out what each number describes, how it was measured and whether those conditions look anything like your part. A point-distance setting, for example, says how densely the surface is sampled, not how far the result is from the real object.
This guide explains the terms, shows how real manufacturer claims differ, and ends with a sheet for checking accuracy on your own part during a demo. The claims were checked on official pages on September 26, 2026. We have not measured any of these scanners ourselves.
On this page
Read actual claims side by side
These are manufacturer statements, not our measurements. They show why different kinds of figures should never share one ranking column.
Scroll horizontally to compare all columns.
| Model | Official claim | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| EINSTAR VEGA | Point distance 0.05-3 mm in HD mode, 0.5-10 mm in Fast mode | Point spacing by mode. EINSTAR does not publish an accuracy figure for VEGA |
| Revopoint MIRACO Plus | Single-frame accuracy up to 0.04 mm; photogrammetric length accuracy 0.02 mm + 0.05 mm per meter | A single-frame figure and a separate length figure for its photogrammetry kit |
| Peel 3 | Accuracy up to 0.050 mm; volumetric accuracy 0.050 mm + 0.100 mm per meter | A best-case figure plus a length-dependent one |
| Artec Leo | 3D point accuracy up to 0.1 mm; 3D resolution up to 0.2 mm; accuracy over distance up to 0.1 mm + 0.3 mm per meter | Three different statements, not three ways of saying 0.1 mm |
| Artec Point II | 3D point accuracy up to 0.02 mm; volumetric accuracy up to 0.015 mm + 0.035 mm per meter | Artec states that accuracy and repeatability are accredited under ISO 17025 based on VDI/VDE 2634 and JJF 1951 |
| HandySCAN BLACK Elite | Accuracy 0.025 mm; volumetric accuracy 0.020 mm + 0.040 mm per meter | Applies to the BLACK Elite; do not borrow figures from other HandySCAN editions |
To see what a volumetric formula means, put a length into it. For HandySCAN BLACK Elite, 0.5 m gives 0.020 + 0.020 = 0.040 mm, and 1 m gives 0.060 mm. For Artec Leo, 1 m gives 0.1 + 0.3 = 0.4 mm. That is arithmetic on the published claim, not a prediction for your part.
The VEGA evidence review discusses what a missing accuracy figure means in practice, and the VEGA vs MIRACO Plus comparison keeps both scanners in the same test instead of declaring a winner from unlike numbers.
Ask what the standard and certificate cover
VDI/VDE 2634 is a German guideline series for evaluating optical 3D measuring systems. A reference to it only means something when you know which part and procedure was used. Creaform, for example, states that its HandySCAN BLACK acceptance test is based on Part 3. That describes the manufacturer's test of its system, not every object you will measure later.
NIST research on structured-light scanners discusses these tests and the error sources they can and cannot detect. Treat a standard-based result as evidence with a defined scope.
ISO/IEC 17025 covers the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. It is not a certificate for a scanner model and not a promise that your next scan meets your tolerance. Ask for the calibration record itself: date, serial number, stated uncertainty and the laboratory's scope, and check whether the quote includes recalibration.
Accuracy demonstration sheet
Agree on pass and fail limits before the vendor sees any result. If your reference measurement is not good enough to support the limit you want, choose a better reference method first.
Scroll horizontally to compare all columns.
| Record | What to fill in before the demo |
|---|---|
| Job | Part, material, overall size and required deliverable |
| Critical dimensions | Named features, nominal values and acceptance limits |
| Reference | Instrument or artifact, its calibration status and uncertainty |
| Setup | Exact scanner, mode, software, calibration, lighting and surface preparation |
| Processing | Alignment, smoothing, hole filling and mesh reduction settings |
| Results | Reference value, scanned value and signed difference for each dimension |
| Repeats | Independent captures with the same setup, each recorded separately |
| Decision | Pass, fail or insufficient evidence, with the reason |
A practical sequence
- Choose a representative part with one short feature and one long span. Mark which surfaces or edges define each measurement.
- Measure the reference independently, for example with calipers, a height gauge or a CMM report. Do not use the scan as its own reference.
- Capture and export with the workflow you are being quoted. Keep both unprocessed and processed files.
- Measure the agreed features with the agreed alignment. Note missing geometry instead of letting it be filled in.
- Repeat the capture from a fresh start. Three runs make a useful demo, but they are not a statistical validation.
- If a result fails, find out why before changing the limit. A second operator can be tested as a separate condition, not as a quiet replacement for the failed run.
If failures come from the surface, use the dark and shiny surface test. If you need editable CAD, add the scan-to-CAD handoff checks: a measurement on the mesh is not a measurement of the rebuilt CAD model.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate are 3D scanners?
Manufacturer claims for the handheld scanners on this site range from about 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm, and some models publish no accuracy figure at all. Those figures come from the manufacturers' own test conditions. On your part, accuracy also depends on surface, size, alignment, processing and the operator, so check it with a reference measurement in a demo.
What is the difference between accuracy and resolution?
Accuracy is how close the result is to the true dimension. Resolution is how much detail the scanner can capture. A scanner can capture fine detail and still be offset from the true size, which is why the two must be checked separately.
Sources and limits
- EINSTAR VEGA official US product page
- Revopoint MIRACO Plus store page
- Peel 3 official store page
- Artec Leo official specifications
- Artec Point II official page
- Creaform HandySCAN technical specifications
- NIST: Sources of Errors in Structured Light 3D Scanners
- ISO: ISO/IEC 17025 testing and calibration laboratories
- How we research
Your acceptance limits must come from your engineering requirement and a suitable measurement method, not from the example calculations on this page.