1. A method for developing dimensional information about an object on a specular background utilizing a scanning system having a sensor, the scanning system scanning an illumination beam of electromagnetic energy, the method comprising the steps of: determining reference data based on an illumination beam reflected from the specular background; positioning the sensor based on the reference data so that a waist of the illumination beam substantially coincides with an expected predetermined 3D location of the object so as to enhance contrast and obtain three-dimensional sensor data and/or confocal sensor data; and processing the sensor data to obtain the dimensional information.