Roland seems to pop up more and more. The most recent news being their new easy-to-use 3D scanner (press release). The specs aren’t bad (10″ x 16″; rotary and planar), the output files are good (STL/GSF/3DM), and the price of roughly US $12,000 isn’t completely out of reach. Nice.
Now if I were 3D challenged and lacking creativity (and ethics), I’d get one of these and kick out a 3DM. I’d load Rhino, import that and export as an IGES into a solid modeler like Pro/E. I’d convert the surface there to a solid and – assuming it doesn’t choke – shell it to a thin wall stock. From there it’s back out to any format that can fab a part in metal. Custom metalsmiths and jewellers, all your base are belong to us.