The Orville New Horizons Comm Scanner upgrade

[renaissance_man]

The show has had a budget increase and it looks like the Comscanner from seasons 1 and 2 has been replaced with this new prop.
I plan on making a 3D model in Fusion 360 over the next couple of days but I think more reference in upcoming episodes will help refine some of the details.

 

[renaissance_man]

My first crack at the 3D model based on these two images.

 

[renaissance_man]

The underside detail so far. Until there are some better shots this is what I've got based on that screengrab I took.

 

[renaissance_man]

After a couple of extra episodes and what I call a good "Tricorder episode" in the 3rd episode, I've made some adjustments to my model.
I'm not going to rush this one out but wait for some potential extra close-ups to really nail some more detail. I've got some really good screencaps going and will continue to tweak the model the rest of this weekend.

 

[Jintosh]

Okay, now I want to make one too. I have to resist the urge. Too many projects as is.

 

[renaissance_man]

Some more progress.

 

[renaissance_man]

A quick animation of the model so far.

 

[BajaTym]

Nice, I look forward to watching your build.

 

[renaissance_man]

Nice, I look forward to watching your build.

Thank you for the compliment.
I have the two halves being printed in resin by a local company and I'm hoping they will be with me by the middle of next week so I can start working on electronics and the pop-up mechanism a bit more.

 

[BajaTym]

Thank you for the compliment.
I have the two halves being printed in resin by a local company and I'm hoping they will be with me by the middle of next week so I can start working on electronics and the pop-up mechanism a bit more.

I’ve been looking for more details regarding the new/upgraded version, sadly there’s not much out there. I’m planning on building one for myself, but in all honesty, it’ll probably just get added to my “never ending” list of “never finished” builds. Lately, I think, Ive started to enjoy the research/design portion more than the physical building/end replica…either that or I’m so ADD/impatient that I end up bounce from projected to project due to eventual boredom.

For now I’ll just be watching your build with excitement. Thanks for posting this/sharing your build!!

I sure wish there was a greater interest in The Orville (prop wise).

— James

 

[renaissance_man]

I’ve been looking for more details regarding the new/upgraded version, sadly there’s not much out there. I’m planning on building one for myself, but in all honesty, it’ll probably just get added to my “never ending” list of “never finished” builds. Lately, I think, Ive started to enjoy the research/design portion more than the physical building/end replica…either that or I’m so ADD/impatient that I end up bounce from projected to project due to eventual boredom.

For now I’ll just be watching your build with excitement. Thanks for posting this/sharing your build!!

I sure with there was a greater interest in The Orville (prop wise).

— James

Hi James,
You're very welcome. I know what you mean, I have a hundred props on the go at any one time and always add to the list.
I'm a sucker for a Tricorder/scanner and this prop was too tempting to resist. I thought I could transfer some of the principles from making the Enterprise Hand Scanners to this prop, but there is less space to hide the mechanism in the CommScanner given the large backlit control panel which can't be obscured.

I waited until the finale to gather as many screencaps as possible. Given this was a new prop I hoped we might have got a few really good close-ups beyond the ones we would get of the pop-up head showing the vfx of whatever was being scanned.
I used a combination of screencaps and a piece of Lex Cassar's (son of The Orville director Jon Cassar) concept art to interpret the back half.
As you can see there are clear changes between the concept art and the final prop but there seems to be enough to work from for the back detail.

I'll post an update when the 3d printed parts arrive.

 

[renaissance_man]

The parts should be here tomorrow or Thursday. I'm looking forward to working on this.
The printing company just sent a photo of the two halves.

 

[renaissance_man]

Sadly some warping on the parts when they arrived, the perils of resin prints, great detail capture, not great with staying level. So progress has stalled on the prop at the moment.

Given I need both halves to be perfectly flush when joined to prevent light leak and that the back half will be separated to access the battery via the 4 screws with threaded inserts this is may end up being a nylon print and a crap tonne of body work, sanding and priming to get it smooth for painting. Not ideal.
To quote another franchise character, "never give up, never surrender".

 

[BrundelFly]

I would cast them out of resin.

 

[renaissance_man]

I would cast them out of resin.

That would be my preference but I need to get the master made to then mold and cast from.
I've got one being made from PETG, hopefully that will be structurally more sound.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

 

[BrundelFly]

I would heat them in WARM water....try setting them on a FLAT surface.
They look clean to me, and very moldable. Just need some TLC.

Frank

 

[propmaster2000]

Can you add a slightly raised internal "lip" on one of the parts so that it fits one inside the other to block light (if you know what I mean).
.

 

[renaissance_man]

If I try to marry the two halves with masking tape, the warp kicks out one end when I push the opposing end to line up.

The worst part is where the clear screen section would pop out and the two halves don't meet and that section is too thin to put pressure on to try and align.
The current gap will mean a lot of light leak.

 

[propmaster2000]

If I try to marry the two halves with masking tape, the warp kicks out one end when I push the opposing end to line up.

The worst part is where the clear screen section would pop out and the two halves don't meet and that section is too thin to put pressure on to try and align.
The current gap will mean a lot of light leak.View attachment 1610895

.
Maybe if you add a lip (as mentioned above) to the next print it will join better.
.

 

[renaissance_man]

.
Maybe if you add a lip (as mentioned above) to the next print it will join better.
.

It's the warping that's the problem because the model is a large, open, relatively thin part which isn't suited to a resin 3D print. Even if there was a lip, if the part is warped it won't keep the parts together with only 4 corner screws.
I'm going the PETG or Nylon route given its structural benefits and rigidity which is better suited to thinner parts.