Location: Laconia, New Hampshire

Task: 3D laser scanning was used to create a 3DSMAX mesh model of American Indian head sculpture in Laconia, New Hampshire. The statue is part of a series called Whispering Giants by Peter Toth. Plans are underway to use a 3D printer to create an exact replica of the existing sculpture.

Challenge: Standing over 30 feet tall, the 1984 wood carving is showing the effects of decades of exposure to the elements. City officials said the wood has become rotted, the statue is beyond saving. The community brainstormed ways to save the statue. "If we laser scan this thing, we would be able to replicate it for generations to come," said Christopher Fernandez, of Laconia.

Solutions: TruePoint Laser Scanning captured accurate measurements of the statue in a few hours on site in a fast and environmentally friendly manner. 3D laser scanning is a non-contact technology, sites are scanned from tripods on the ground, keeping the environment untouched.

Deliverable: TruePoint’s team of in-house engineers created a 3D mesh model from the laser scanned point cloud data. Using the 3D mesh model, engineers can correct the imperfections on the statue before 3D printing. TruePoint’s CAD technician delivered the mesh in STL file format, a compact and easy file format most commonly used for 3D printing.

Added Value: “3d laser scan technology will help save this statue – an important piece of history for Laconia,” said Nate Baker, Northeast Regional Manager for TruePoint Laser Scanning.

For more information on 3D scanning a statue, email info@truepointscanning.com or call 419-843-7226.