3D scanner brings success to hand

Dale Mooney with one of his scanners. Picture / Kenny Rodger

As a former jewellery-store manager, Dale Mooney knows the scenario well. Starry-eyed couples arrive with their ideal engagement ring glistening in their minds, but with little idea of how their hand-drawn creations will look on the finger.

But all that could change if jewellery shops adopt Mooney's Try-On machine, designed to take the guesswork out of selecting a ring.

After five years and $1.3 million developing the 3D modelling machine, Try-On was put to use this month at The Auckland Ring Co in Te Atatu.

The process takes about two minutes: Insert the hand into a tube for scanning by an infra-red laser, which takes 1500 pictures in less than five seconds. Then, a lifelike rendition of the hand appears on screen for experimenting with ring designs. These could be from rings stored in the system or built from scratch.

Customers can alter the metals, stones or setting on the to-scale ring by making selections on a touch screen.

Try-On then produces a quote for the final design.

Mooney hopes to sell Try-On to jewellery stores on a franchise basis.

He said it had the potential to change the way people shopped for jewellery as well as saving costs for retailers, as they would not have to carry so much stock.

Down the track, the technology could be put to use for other jewellery items such as watches.

Mooney came up with the idea when he was managing the Diamond and Time jewellery store in Hamilton.

He formed the company HGM Design five years ago with start-up capital of $60,000.

But it wasn't until an illness forced time off work three years ago that he really started to make it happen.

Last year he left the store to pursue the venture full-time, working out of the AUT Technology Park in Penrose - a business incubator for hi-tech companies.

On his team of eight are 3D jewellery modellers, mathematicians and software developers.

Developing the hand-scanner has been the most time-consuming and expensive project, the hard work being done by DeviceWorks, a business unit of Industrial Research which specialises in prototypes and new products.

A $255,000 grant from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology last year helped to cover some of the costs.

Refining the software to produce realistic physical qualities such as skin tones and diamonds that sparkled like true gems was also a challenge.

In the meantime, HGM has been custom-making wax models for jewellery casting using machinery from the United States.

Mooney has also had backing from his cousin, Ross McKenzie - managing director of Old Fashioned Foods, maker of the Aunt Betty's steamed puddings - who is now the majority shareholder.

The Auckland Ring Co has been a trade market partner for Try-On.

Selling a ring off the system on the first day it was tested in the store had Mooney feeling "extremely confident" of success.

Auckland Ring Co owner and goldsmith John Crockett said one of the difficulties jewellers faced was helping people to visualise a design in three dimensions.

"They say they like the design, but when it's made up they don't like it, and that's not an option when we are making pieces for anything from $5000 to $80,000," said Crockett.

Try-On will also help jewellers to speed up manufacturing, as wax moulds can be made directly from the computer files.

Traditionally, moulds are made by hand, which can take up to three or four days. HGM's innovation cuts that to three hours.

Try-On will be launched at the Sydney Jewellery Fair in August, with a view to establishing an international franchise system. That would see HGM take a cut on sales made through Try-On.

The goal is to be established in Britain, the US, Europe and Asia in five years.

Hand it to 'em

* Try-On is a 3D modelling machine.
* It took five years and $1.3 million to develop.
* The whole process takes about two minutes.
* A hand is inserted into a tube for scanning by an infra-red laser.
* About 1500 pictures are taken in less than five seconds.
* A lifelike rendition of the hand appears on screen for experimenting with ring designs.