A Quantitative Method for 3D Scan Quality Assessment Under Different Surface Conditions for Reverse Engineering of Shipyard Components

Shipyards are transitioning toward Industry 4.0 more slowly than other industrial sectors, and this inertia often limits the adoption of reliable digital workflows for reverse engineering. Within the wider research aimed at supporting the digital transition of shipbuilding operations, this study presents a dedicated methodology for evaluating 3D scan quality by combining three complementary indicators describing geometric completeness, agreement with a reference model, and measurement accuracy and variability. A purpose-designed test sample representative of shipbuilding geometrical challenges was manufactured in metal by CNC methods and in PLA through additive manufacturing. Two scanning systems, a field-oriented portable device and a metrology-oriented fixed system, were evaluated under raw surface conditions and with tracking enhancement strategies (optical markers and scanning spray). Results show that reflective surfaces represent a critical scenario, where tracking enhancement is essential to obtain continuous reconstruction and reliable dimensional correspondence. Conversely, with low-reflectivity surfaces, high-quality reconstructions can also be achieved with portable systems, with tracking enhancements mainly improving uniformity and repeatability. Overall, the proposed workflow provides a quantitative basis to support scanner selection, which involves a compromise between portability and achievable metrological performance, for shipyards reverse engineering applications.