AlignScan / Guides / Alignment vs registration
Guide
Aligning to axes vs registering scans
"Align a 3D scan" means two different things, and they need different tools. Picking the right one saves a lot of time.
1. Aligning a scan to the world axes (what AlignScan does)
You have one scan or mesh and want it squared to X, Y and Z so its flat faces are parallel to the axes and its origin is sensible. This is "zeroing", "leveling" or "orienting to origin". It needs no second scan: the object's own flat faces, cylinder axes and symmetry provide the reference.
2. Registering several scans to each other
You have two or more scans of the same object (for example the top and bottom) and want them stitched into one. That is registration. It is usually done by picking matching points and then refining with ICP (iterative closest point), in tools such as MeshLab, CloudCompare or your scanner's own software.
Which do you need?
| Situation | You need |
|---|---|
| One scan sits crooked in my CAD or slicer | Alignment to axes |
| I want the part flat on the build plate | Alignment to axes (floor) |
| I have a front scan and a back scan | Registration |
| I scanned a part twice and want to compare them | Registration (then deviation analysis) |
| I want to merge scans and level the result | Registration first, then alignment to axes |
The right order for both
Register the pieces into one mesh first. Once you have a single mesh, align it to the axes, because the axes only make sense for the combined object. Aligning each partial scan separately and then trying to register them wastes effort.
Skip the manual work: drop your scan into AlignScan. It runs in your browser and the file is never uploaded.
Open the aligner → Try a sample first