A new trend of 3D printing is actively gaining momentum in the USA, Japan and Europe. People want to create a smaller copy of themselves. New 3D technologies are used to create miniatures, namely 3Dscanning and 3D printing.
Some even present this trend as“3D human cloning“, and there is some truth in that…..
Creating miniatures is the creation of electronic models and printing on a 3D printer of layouts of finished models. With the help of miniatures it is possible to effectively present a future project (house model, equipment model, parts model, device body model, etc.). One of the similar projects at KOLORO was creation and printing of a presentation model of a house for the design studio “KEY”. But this is just a presentation model, which could easily be further “enlivened” with a couple of miniature human figures.
New 3D scanners allow you to scan a full-size person in seconds, and then print a smaller copy of it on a 3D printer with almost all the fine details! This is a breathtaking sight!
Creating a miniature human figure usually takes place in standard three steps:
- A 3D scan of a full-length human being;
- processing of the obtained 3D model of a person;
- 3D printing a scaled-down model of a human being.
Human figures are printed using a 3D printer. Depending on the chosen printing method and 3D printer, the quality of the finished figurines differs significantly:
In Barcelona, for example, there was a campaign when anyone could get a free souvenir – a 3D-printed figure of themselves. People were scanned right on the street (three scanners were installed), and people participated with pleasure. The data received from the 3D scanners was quickly processed with the help of Blender program, and the finished 3D model of a person was sent for printing. The figures were printed on an inkjet 3D printer, they were small (about 10 cm in size), single-colored and with a lot of unnecessary elements that required post-printing modification (e.g. removing supports and sanding the model). You can see the video below or here:
Such 3D printing will be suitable for an advertising campaign, for attracting attention to your own company and for acquiring new like-minded people and clients.
If you build a business on it, then the printing of reduced human models should be of high quality and color. Otherwise, the figures will have to be colored by hand and they will not be so believable. In addition, the finished models must undergo post-printing revision: specialists must carefully remove all unnecessary elements and details, and, if necessary, paint and polish the model, put a protective coating on it.
Some companies use “inkjet” 3D printers (layer-by-layer build-up of material) to print figurines, while others prefer laser 3D printers (laser sintering of powders, stereolithography, gluing of starch-cellulose powder).With laser 3D printing, the finished products are the most realistic and have high accuracy in transferring complex details and elements. You can see how human figures are printed using laser baking below or here:
3D scanning of a person and printing a smaller copy of the person
Many companies are actively offering their services to 3D scan a full-size person and print a smaller copy.
1. For example, the German company Twinkind offers to create an exact mini-copy of a person with the display of even such small details as facial expressions and folds on clothes:
When scanning aperson, Twinkinddoes not recommend wearing silk clothing or clothing made of chiffon or tulle. Also, to get more believable figures, they do not recommend wearing glasses. They are scanned separately. After completing the scanning of the person from all sides, as well as 3D scanning of all additional details and objects, a3D model of theperson is created, and then the digitalmodel is sent to beprintedon a 3D printer.
The services of the German company Twinkind to create a miniature of a man will cost you from 300 to 1700 dollars depending on the size of the statuette (from 15 to 33 cm).
2. Another company Artec Group (head offices are located in Luxembourg, Moscow and California) offers its services for creating miniatures online. The service is provided thanks to the Shapify.me software (to work with the service you will need to download and install this application), as well as thanks to hardware from Microsoft – Microsoft Kinect SDK.
Using a scanning device Microsoft Kinect SDK (it is possible to use another 3D scanner, but the official site does not specify information about support for other devices) you should scan yourself at home.
According to the developers of the Artec Group online service, the scanning process is quite simple and understandable for any person. Only a few rules should be followed:
- Place the scanner on a stable surface (e.g., a table or a tripod);
- place the scanner at chest level (at a distance of no more than 1.3 m);
- launch the installed Shapify.me application, stand 1-1.3 meters away and make sure that no foreign objects will get into the frame;
- Using the voice prompts from the app, scan yourself in eight different positions (each time rotating 45 degrees in relation to the scanner). It is important to stay in the original position (maintaining your posture and facial expression, changing only the angle of your position relative to the scanner), and the room should be well and evenly lit.
After scanning is complete, you need to wait for the application to process the data received from the Microsoft Kinect SDK device. You can view your finished 3D model, and if you are satisfied with the result, click on the “3D PRINT” button. Your model will open in a browser and be uploaded to Shapify.me website to print the model on their 3D printer.Next, the delivery is arranged and the finished and printed 3D figure is delivered to your address, within the time frame specified on the website.
The cost of Artec Group’s services is $59 dollars, which already includes the cost of shipping. The only thing is that at the moment the printed miniatures of people are shipped to the USA, Canada, England and Europe. Otherwise, you must have your own 3D printer in addition to the scanner mentioned above.
3. another “cheap” project was the “3D skanning 3D printing 3D you” campaign in one of the English supermarkets Asda. Everyone was invited to order a smaller copy of themselves printed on a 3D printer. Making one figure costs only 40 pounds (about 64 dollars) and takes about 8 hours. You can see how 3D models were created in the British supermarket below:
4. Japanese 3D printing studio Shinsaibashi D Sta also offers its services for 3D scanning a person and printing a 15 centimeter figure – a reduced copy. The studio is located in an entertainment center and offers visitors an interesting 3D scanning procedure.
To get your own miniature, you need to undergo a full-length 3D scan, and then the images obtained from the 3D scanner are processed on a computer and sent for printing on a 3D printer.
This studio is also notable because clients are offered a choice of several options for printing a figurine of themselves:
- the simplest printing variant – the figure is printed completely identical to the image when scanned;
- The second option allows you to order a print of a figure of yourself in a fairy tale, fantasy or original outfit;
- third option “wedding” – printing of miniature figures in wedding outfits (a pair of two dolls of people is made: a bride in a wedding dress and a groom in a suit).
3D-scanning lasts only a couple of minutes, and after some more time you will get a 15-centimeter plastic doll of yourself.The cost of services of design studio Shinsaibashi D Sta will cost you 420 dollars when printing the “original” person; 370 dollars when printing a figure in some other outfit; and 580 dollars or more when printing wedding figurines.
5. Sony Music Communications, another Japanese company, launched its own service to create miniatures of people in 2013.
The company creates miniatures using the principle of “3d-scanning – 3d-modeling – 3d-printing“. 3D-scanning of each person from all sides takes from 5 to 10 minutes. Then, textures and colors are adjusted in special programs for the obtained 3D model of a person, and the finished model is sent for printing on a 3D printer.
After printing the model, the figurine is subjected to post-printing treatment: the surface is carefully polished and waxed.
The cost of printing these miniatures of people varies depending on the size of the figure itself:
- about 100 dollars for a figurine measuring about 10 centimeters and weighing about 50 grams;
- 480 dollars. – The figure measures 15 centimeters, weighs 150 grams;
- 680 dollars. – The size of the figurine is 20 cm, weight – 300 grams;
- about 1200 dollars. – printing of a miniature figure measuring 30 cm and weighing 900 g.
The company uses a ZPrinter 650 3D printer for printing and white powder plaster as the printing material. The principle of this printer is based on color laser sintering of powder. The figurine is quite fragile, so it requires careful and attentive treatment after printing: removing the excess layer of powder, applying liquid glue to polish and strengthen the strength of the product, drying the figurine in a dryer and only then applying wax.
6. Services for creating miniature human figures have become so well known that they are actively beginning to gain popularity not only abroad, but also in Russia and Ukraine. In Russia there were already held actions on 3D-cloning of people, but as this technique was used only for demonstration and advertising purposes, 3D-printing of human figures has not acquired wide scales yet. One of the Russian companies offering services in creation of human miniatures, “Atelier3D”, creates plastic miniatures of people from 10 to 25 cm in size.
The cost of printing depending on the size of the figure is:
- 10 cm – 10 thousand rubles (300 dollars);
- 15 cm – 11 thousand rubles (330 dollars);
- 20 cm – 13 thousand rubles ($400);
- 25 cm – 17 thousand rubles (520 dollars).
As stated on the company’s website, delivery of the figurine is free of charge.
Of course, these are not all the companies and services that deal with 3D cloning people. If you have information about any company or online printing service, please write their information in the comments to the article and we will be sure to add this data to our article.
Bottom line
3D scanning and 3D printing is a very interesting line of business that is rapidly gaining momentum. In the most developed countries of the world, people have long ago realized the advantages of new technologies, including 3D technologies, and are actively using them both for personal purposes and for the purposes of their companies and enterprises.
Industrial modeling, prototyping and printing of parts of complex objects, instrument housings, etc. are gaining popularity. And for their own needs, people usually print various phone cases, jewelry, key chains, and various small things on a 3D printer.
3D scanning and creation of a reduced copy of a person (printing of miniatures on a 3D printer) can also be called an interesting direction. In particular, the creation of miniatures is a promising direction for the post-Soviet countries, but it will probably not become large-scale soon, due to its high cost and lack of information about this direction among the population.
KOLORO company offers its services in 3D-scanning and 3D-modeling of objects of any complexity. Our 3D-modelers will create for you an exact copy of the product – 3D-model, ready to send for printing on 3D-printer.For all questions please contact us by: +38(057)-760-26-05, +38(057)-760-26-06,+38(099)-618-87-50.Send your ready 3D-models for cost calculation to our mailящик:info@koloro.ua.
