3D Scanning 101: Resolution vs Accuracy Difference

There is a big misconception when talking about scanner resolution vs. accuracy. Resolution refers to the amount of DETAIL that can be acquired from a scanner (imagine the difference between 720P resolution and 4K resolution) whereas accuracy is referring to HOW CLOSE the scanner can acquire the surface to where it actually is.

DEFINITIONS

Resolution - The lvel of details visible in the scan data and measured in millimeters. It can be compared to screen resolution which is defined by the number of pixels. A higher resolution increases the number of triangles in a mesh file.

Accuracy - The accuracy of a mesh file is measured by the deviation between the actual part and the measured result. It depends on the specifications of the scanner used and on the quality of the set-up.