Creality Raptor Pro: Software Limited?

Disclosure: The Raptor Pro was provided to me by Creality free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not received any other compensation. All opinions expressed are my own, and Creality has had no influence on the content of this review.

Unboxing

Packaging Quality

The Creality Raptor Pro was amazingly packaged. It came in a “Pelican”-style case with plenty of soft foam that perfectly fit the scanner. Protective cases like this are a very welcome addition to 3D scanners meant to be taken to and from scanning sites.

Assembly/Build Quality

The Raptor Pro is very sturdy with quite a bit of heft to it. The all-metal body is built robustly and feels good in the hands. With proper overholding, adding grip and texture right where you need it, and promoting a grip that is out of the way of the scanning lasers and cameras.

First Impressions

My first impression was very optimistic. From the build quality to the quick calibration (using the scanning plate with circle markers placed in specific locations), everything felt smooth and well-designed. Calibration was easy and quick, taking less than 10 minutes, and I was excited to begin scanning, but that is where the trouble began.

Hardware and Specs

With 22 cross lasers and 7 parallel lasers, the scanner is marketed as offering accuracy up to 0.02mm + 0.08mm/m on objects up to 4000mm. The 20-micron accuracy is what intrigued me the most!

Software and UI

This is where the issues arose. I was not able to complete a full scan with the Raptor Pro because it kept “losing track” of the objects. I would get a great scan going, then roughly halfway through, the scanner would lose track of both the object and the tracking board, with no way to recover. The resulting meshes came out convoluted and, at least to me, unsalvageable.

Clear Loss of Tracking.

Test Scans and Performance

Scan Examples

Original File Examples

Speed vs Quality

Noise Level

There’s no noise that comes from the device itself. Since it’s connected to your computer, the more detailed the scan, the harder your system has to work, which means ramping up the fans and increasing the volume temporarily.

Reliability

So far, the reliability hasn’t been up to par for me. I am fairly convinced this is simply a software issue rather than a physical, hardware one. It appears to be software because I have been getting good scans that pause and lose track halfway through my scan, rather than being poor from the beginning. I know the shift knob was not the right color to be scanning, but I wanted to give it a try anyway.

Cost and Value

At $1,999, you can see and feel the excellent build quality of the Raptor Pro. You get a glimpse of how well this device can perform if it weren’t software-limited. For this price, once the software becomes more reliable, I can see this being an absolute bargain. Many other scanners in this price range are built cheaply and poorly, but they often have better software, which makes them more usable.

Summary

Marketed as usable almost anywhere and on almost anything, I had high hopes for this scanner. Unfortunately, the software and tracking issues were a letdown. Still, I can see a glimmer of hope in that it did make great scans until it lost track. If Creality can fix the software, I can certainly see myself using this scanner for more projects in the future, and maybe then I’ll have a much more positive review of it.