ZScanner lets marine design firm sail into new markets

Among the joys of business are the unexpected directions it can take you. Protosys, a product development firm in Portugal, is a case in point. The company is discovering that its powerful reverse-engineering technology is suddenly in high demand by, surprisingly, the archaeology community.

Protosys, based in the heart of Porto, has an eight-year history of reverse-engineering. In a bid to move into larger products and new markets, it recently invested in a 3D laser scanner from Z Corporation. The handheld nature of the scanner, unique in its market, made it easy for Protosys to capture data from large complex surfaces like recreational boat hulls, providing uncompromisingly accurate digital models that solved traditional assembly problems.
 
What Protosys did not anticipate is that the scanner would turn out to be equally useful beyond engineering, specifically in archaeological and preservation projects.

Rapid, accurate marine design
Protosys is helping the boating industry in two main ways. First, it is helping manufacturers accelerate boat assembly and eliminate costly errors that force redesign. Boat hulls are traditionally made from fiberglass, and the designs are used for years. When manufacturers introduce new boat models, they reuse hull designs and spend the bulk of their product development efforts on the deck, cabin and furnishings. Since their moulds are based on handcrafted hull patterns, hulls are rife with minor imperfections. Minor imperfections add up, however, and can create headaches when a boat is assembled. When it’s time to glue the hull to the deck, too often the parts don’t fit together.