I feel more interested in having a proper 3d scanner associated with a 3D printer than a Laser cutter.
It could be as simple as embedding the reading electronics in the printer and using a rotary base on top of the printing bed.
The base could be rechargeable and wireless, or USB-connected to the machine’s mainboard.
When the user selects the 3D scan mode, the bed automatically lowers to the bottom of the machine and waits for the base to be plugged in.
Once the base is in place, the user starts the scanning process, which will make the base rotate as required by the scanning software.
The system should then export an open file (STEP or STL).
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That would be really cool if the detail is high enough to be useful.
I agree, I would much prefer a 3D scanner in my printer than I would want a cutter (laser or otherwise).
A 3D printer is a really poor platform for an add-on 3D scanner. The machine’s internal processor is vastly insufficient for the task, and since most printers run on Wi-Fi, the network speed will not be fast enough to allow a computer to do the processing.
Add-ons for a printer make sense when they can use a lot of the existing hardware for a new purpose, in this case the printer gives you a 3 axis positioning system and a power supply, nothing else is useful.
Plus, if somehow this was achievable, you then limit yourself to a stationary scanner and whatever can fit inside the chamber - so it’s a very limited scanner at that point.
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I’m not sure why they don’t already have that to be honest. The H2 printers have a scanner that can map curved objects to lasercut.