Go!SCAN SPARK versus HandySCAN BLACK
What is the best choice for your needs?
On April 25th, 2019, Creaform announced the launch of two re-engineered products: the Go!SCAN SPARK™ and the HandySCAN BLACK™. These two new portable 3D scanners are the result of several years of research and development aimed at offering product development, production, and quality teams with the best 3D scanning solution in the market.
Here, you can explore the broad lines that led to these new product introductions. You can understand the new capabilities that come with these innovations. You can visualize the size, material, and complexity of the parts that can now be measured with these 3D scanners. You can imagine the speed that is needed to measure such complex physical parts. You can examine the benefits of adding one of these 3D scanners to your metrology tools.
Go!SCAN SPARK
The Go!SCAN SPARK was designed to offer the fastest and easiest 3D experience to product development and reverse engineering teams. With the Go!SCAN SPARK, three new avenues opened up to engineers and designers.
They can develop new innovative products, with complex shapes and designs. They can gain new customers by pushing their development to where their competitors cannot go. They can be more competitive and accelerate the time to market of their new innovative products.

Go!SCAN SPARK in Three Words: Speed, Simplicity, and Scan Quality
Speed
Thanks to its 99 white light stripes, the Go!SCAN SPARK can perform up to 1,500,000 measurements per second. Because it has a larger scanning area, the Go!SCAN SPARK is better suited for low-resolution scans.
Simplicity
Not only does the Go!SCAN SPARK have the ability to scan without targets, but its geometry and texture tracking is new and improved.
This way, engineers and designers, who usually are non-experts in 3D scanning, simply choose between the positioning that suits them best between geometry, texture, or targets.
Scan quality
The Go!SCAN SPARK is built with three high-resolution cameras for geometry and one color camera for color texture for offering improved scan surface quality.
In short, the Go!SCAN SPARK is a fast and simple way for product development and reverse engineering teams to get access to quality scans to develop new innovative products, to gain new businesses, and to be more competitive in the market.
HandySCAN BLACK
The HandySCAN BLACK was designed to become the reference in portable metrology-grade 3D scanning for three specific groups.
Product development engineers, who are under pressure to innovate, reduce the time to market of their new products, and work with complex shapes and designs to offer more competitive solutions.
Quality assurance and production teams, who must optimize their manufacturing process, identify and fix production and quality problems, and manage downtime.
Quality control people, who must validate if the customers’ requirements have been met and confirm that the parts fulfill their purpose for the end users.

HandySCAN BLACK in Three Words: Speed, Metrology-grade, Versatility
Speed
With its 11 blue laser crosses, combined with new high-resolution cameras and custom optical components, the HandySCAN BLACK can perform up to 1,300,000 measurements per second.
Comparable to the Go!SCAN SPARK, this speed, which starts with the set up and goes up to the mesh generation, allows saving precious acquisition and analysis time.
Metrology-grade 3D scanning
The metrology-grade designation refers to the scan quality, accuracy, and measurement reliability. Certified ISO 17025 and compliant with the German standard VDI/VDE 2634 part 3, the accuracy of the HandySCAN BLACK is 0.025 mm (with a volumetric accuracy of 0.040 mm/m).
Because the resolution was quadrupled, in comparison with the previous HandySCAN 700, the HandySCAN BLACK is the preferred choice for scanning small injection plastic parts or small sheet metal parts.
Versatility
In short, the HandySCAN BLACK is the jack-of-all-trades of 3D scanners. With its adaptative scanning area and limitless scanning volume, it can measure every part whatever its size, material, finish, and complexity.
Comparison table
Specs | Go!SCAN SPARK | HandySCAN BLACK |
---|---|---|
Accuracy | 0.050 mm | 0.025 mm Reliable acceptance test Based on VDI/VDE 2634 part 3 standard ISO 17025 accredited laboratory |
Volumetric accuracy | 0.050 mm + 0.150 mm/m | 0.020 mm + 0.040 mm/m |
Measurement resolution | 0.100 mm High resolution for intricate details | 0.025 mm High resolution for fine details |
Mesh resolution | 0.200 mm | 0.100 mm |
Measurement rate | 1,500,000 measurements / second High measurement rate | 1,300,000 measurements / second High measurement rate |
Light source | White light (99 stripes) | 11 blue laser crosses (+1 extra line) Masters complex and difficult surfaces |
Part size range | 0.1 – 4 m Scan various object sizes | 0.05 – 4 m Scan various object sizes and surface types in any environmental conditions |
Positioning methods | Geometry and/or color and/or targets Hybrid Positioning Methods | Positioning with targets Guarantee high accuracy |
Scanning area | 390 x 390 mm Better for low resolution scans | 310 x 350 mm |
Texture resolution | 50 to 200 DPI Enable realistic tracking and realistic color acquisition | N/A |
Conclusion
Should you value speed and simplicity more than metrology accuracy, the Go!SCAN SPARK is better suited for your needs. However, the HandySCAN BLACK, with its ISO 17025 accreditation, is the best choice to reach the highest accuracy and the finest level of detail to ensure full traceability of the measuring system.

The Go!SCAN SPARK is the solution for product development and reverse engineering teams, while the HandySCAN BLACK is the jack-of-all-trades of 3D scanners that can be used in every step of the product lifecycle management (PLM) process, from product development to manufacturing, quality assurance, and quality control.
Both 3D scanners have their specific features, but they offer the same quick set-up, instant mesh, and portability, which are unique to Creaform.