Cultural Heritage Protection by 3D Technologies

Historical heritages are human beings’ crystallization of wisdom. Culture relics, however, as time goes by, suffered different degrees of erosion due to the fragility themselves.

As a result, heritage conservation has become an extremely urgent task. People used to protect cultural relics by manual works combing photographing and rubbing techniques. Although this method can keep the basic information, many vital details are still ignored.

At present, 3D digitalization has been proved to be the most popular technology and attracted worldwide attention in the field of cultural inheritance. The 3D digital technology can be used for data archiving, displaying as well as restoration.

3D scanning technology features in fast measurement speed and accurate capturing capacity. It is adept at collecting enough and accurate 3D data from different perspectives, which is beneficial to the restoration of culture relics when coming into accidental damage. Experts can also virtually restore the heritages through the computer, and finish assistant researches via precise 3D models.

For culture relics’ protection, nevertheless, 3D scanning is not the only way put into use. 3D printing also contributes to displaying and simulating culture relics. It provides people with more chances to get to know culture relics and better understand human beings’ history.

Project Analysis

Yucheng Museum (Hebei Province) has unearthed a new collection of cultural relics in April 2019. One of the most emergent issues for archaeologists is data archiving. Invited by Quimbaya Art x Tech, ScanTech conducted 3D scanning immediately on these relics by PRINCE 3D scanner. This handheld 3D laser scanner is equipped with the world leading-edge technologies: red laser scan mode for high accuracy & adaptability and blue laser scan mode for capturing extreme details. It carries a big weight in acquiring very accurate 3D data and brings great convenience for further restoration and researches.

To avoid any irreparable damage, Yecheng Museum combined with 3D printing technology based on 3D stl data to reproduce 1:1 scaled-down 3D model of cultural relics for exhibition, which aims to make more people get close to history and pass on these precious culture heritages.

The pottery figurine from the Eastern Wei Dynasty was unearthed in Yuanhu Tomb, Ci County

Buddha from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Scanning Process

Step 1. Obtain 3D data

Scan the objects’ surface by PRINCE 3D scanner to quickly get precise 3D data.

Step 2. Post-process

Import the 3D data to 3D software ScanViewer and generate stl files that can be directly used for 3D modeling and 3D printing.

Step 3. 3D modeling

Import stl file to 3D modeling software for digital modeling.

Step 4. 3D printing

SAL photocuring 3D printing technology facilities models to get ultra-high accuracy and easy to preserve.

Step 5. Post-process

Finalize the products by post-processing techniques such as polishing and color drawing.

From the whole scanning process, we can easily find that 3D scanning plays a decisive role in duplicating culture relics. This leading-edge technology correctly presents the complete information of objects.

Heritages are very valuable assets for all of us. Time flies, many thousand-year cultural treasures have gradually disappeared from our sight due to technical problems. It will cause inestimable loss to this world. However, 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies put forward very effective 3D solutions for cultural relic display and protection.

Except for culture conservation, ScanTech also makes the voice in animal protection. Our handheld PRINCE 3D scanner helped a hornbill make a well-matched beak so that it can normally eat things. For more info, please read: Being an Animal Protector by 3D Technologies.

In the future, ScanTech will unswervingly develop more professional 3D scanners and make a further effort in the field of 3D systems.