RV Neopoint Reverse Engineering Museum work

3D scanning and 3D printing helped create an exact replica of the old concrete monument

In February 2024, we were contacted by Dmitry Zhamkov's art studio from Balakhna, Nizhny Novgorod region, with which RangeVision has been cooperating for a long time. Together we have implemented such projects in the field of culture and museum business as scanning cathedral ornaments and help with restoration of the Gorky Literary Museum . The new project, which we were happy to participate in, has become both applied and educational. 

Dmitry's son, Daniil, who followed in his father's footsteps, has embarked on an ambitious task that requires 3D scanning and 3D printing skills. The task was related to the restoration of the monument to Lenin in the Bolsheboldinsky district.

Dilapidated monument

The original monument to Lenin

Made of sand and concrete, it had become noticeably dilapidated over the past 60 years and was in almost disrepair. The district administration decided to send the monument for a long-term restoration, and at that time replace it with a copy.

The state of the monument in April 2024. It is almost close to destruction.

They decided to make a copy using additive technologies. One of the reasons for this decision was the poor condition of the monument itself: it simply crumbled from almost any touch, its surface was severely damaged, and copying it in this form was not only unproductive, but also dangerous for the original.

A 3D scan of the original monument was also impossible. The project started in the middle of winter, and no 3D scanner could work in the cold. Therefore, a difficult decision was made: to manually recreate the monument, and to "reverse" its already edited large-scale copy.

As a result, the project was planned as follows:

1. Making a smaller copy of the monument.
2. Scan a copy of the monument.
3. Creating a life-size three-dimensional model.
4. 3D printing of the monument.
5. Installation of a printed copy in place of the original that was used for restoration.

Re-sculpted

The creation of a digital copy of the dilapidated monument turned out to be almost traditional: it was manually "sculpted" in the popular 3D sculpting program ZBrush. It took seven days to create the model.

The monument had to be digitized knee-deep in snow

The resulting model was printed on a printer on a reduced scale and "modified with a file" in the process of meticulous comparison with the original. The result of this work was a plastic replica of the monument that was as accurate as possible in the existing conditions.

Digital and printed model of the monument, requiring additional processing>

Now the project team had a physical object in their hands, which was convenient to scan indoors. The scan was required to transfer the improvements to the statue, which it underwent after printing the zebra model.

Scanning training

Before starting work, Daniil Zhamkov needed to master the skill of 3D scanning and model processing. The Neopoint portable 3D scanner is compact, easy to use, and at the same time provides good accuracy and detail.

For training, he came several times to the Nizhny Novgorod office of RangeVision, where he learned how to use a scanner and mastered the scanning program RV 3D Studio and practiced on simple objects. The impromptu training course started in early March.

The first lesson on 3D scanning in the Nizhny Novgorod office of RangeVision

Having figured out the basics, Daniil began to practice — and immediately on museum exhibits. As a "dress rehearsal," he scanned a statue of Maxim Gorky from the collection of the Rukavishnikov Estate Museum in the Nizhny Novgorod Museum Reserve.

RangeVision Neopoint is great for digitizing small statues and busts

The resulting three-dimensional model has completely preserved all the details of the original. The details of the Lenin monument, which was to be copied later, were more modest, so it became obvious that Neopoint could easily cope with this task.

An accurate and detailed model of the statue after processing in RV 3D Studio

Copy scan

After completing his studies, Daniil began digitizing a large-scale replica of the Lenin monument.

The optimal scanning mode for such an object is basic

The scanning object is too tall and does not fit entirely into the Neopoint scanning area, while it has a diverse and pronounced geometry. Therefore, the turntable and markers were not needed, the statuette was scanned in the basic mode by hand. At the same time, the accuracy of the model's dimensions turned out to be impressive: the deviation of the height in the program from the caliper reading is hundredths of a millimeter.

Impressive accuracy: the dimensions of the three-dimensional and original models match

The resulting polygonal model was then enlarged to the original size of the monument to be printed on a 3D printer.

Plastic monument

The Zhamkovs' workshop has several 3D printers with a large work area, as they often print rather large shapes such as sculptures, ornaments, and decorative items. The model of the monument was divided into several parts, and each part was printed separately.

The new monument was printed in parts on two printers simultaneously

It took 27 working days of pure time to print all the parts of the statue. But since they were printed on two printers at once, the production time was reduced to 14 days. It took another 5 days to solder all the pieces into a single sculpture.

The process of assembling a 3D-printed copy of the monument

Before installation, all seams at the joints were plastered, the finished statue was primed and painted. A replica of the Lenin monument was ready to replace the crumbling original.

The main thing is that the costume fits: finishing touches before installing the copy

The plastic monument was installed on the pedestal on May 29, 2024. The original monument was carefully removed and taken away for restoration. Despite the utmost caution of the demolitionists, fragments fell off at the slightest movement from the monument — it was so dilapidated.

Dismantling of the original monument and installation of a plastic replica

The new one is even better

In news about the replacement of the monument on the website of NIA Nizhny Novgorod and in the social networks of the administration of Bolshoy Boldin it says that the old monument after restoration will be restored in 2025 in concrete or polymer concrete.