In the plot of the ancient learning program, most of the monuments have gone through vicissitudes, restoring the most real memory of our time. Some precious cultural relics unearthed after the founding of the people's Republic of China also left some traces and defects on the artifacts due to the erosion of the years. Therefore, the profession of cultural relic restorer came into being.

As one of the subversive technologies in the 21st century, the potential value of 3D printing in the field of cultural relics protection is gradually being excavated. Some archaeologists and cultural relic restorers have begun to try to use 3D printing technology in cultural relics reproduction, restoration of incomplete cultural relics and splicing of cultural relics fragments. They have also tried their best to speed up the process of cultural relics restoration, so that precious cultural relics can be preserved for a long time.

For example, the Yungang Grottoes Research Institute and the Cultural Heritage Research Institute of Zhejiang University, together with the digital team of cultural relics, have achieved the restoration of the third grottoes of Yungang Grottoes in proportion of 1:1 for two years. After using 3D printing technology to carry out the cultural relic reproduction project, the magnificent and beautifully carved statues and complete shapes of the grottoes can be preserved, and the traces of the grottoes after thousands of years of weathering can also be restored, which is amazing!

Coincidentally, 3D printing technology has also been used to repair a 190 year old antique warship - "unicorn" in distant Scotland. This is not only one of the only six antique ships left in the world, but also the only antique class warship preserved in Scotland.

Unicorn is equipped with 46 guns, which not only embodies the superb navigation skills at that time, but also the survivors of the transition period from wooden sailboat to steel warship. The warship has been moored at Victoria quay for many years, attracting many tourists to visit.

Over the years, many parts have worn. According to the protection organization of the warship, traditional technology cannot repair the warship. Since Unicorn allows tourists to touch, places like steering wheel that are often touched by children have been missing. But now the ship repair shop does not have the ability to repair these antique ships. But 3D printing technology can help people repair these missing parts.

Conservation groups are calling for professional advice from people who know the wooden steering wheel of warships and those who know 3D technology. Unicorn conservation contacted 3D printing technicians, and the results were amazing. They were able to create an alternative to the original steering wheel through 3D images and modeling, and the cost was not high.

Compared with the traditional way, using 3D printing technology to repair cultural relics can often achieve a good effect of lossless, fast and accurate, with short time and high degree of reduction.

When copying precious cultural relics, first use 3D scanning to digitally reconstruct the cultural relics and build the real three-dimensional model of cultural relics, then print out the model through 3D printer, and finally carry out the post-processing of the copied cultural relics, including surface coloring, decoration processing, etc. In the whole process of 3D printing cultural relics restoration, the probability of secondary damage of cultural relics caused by human touch is low, and the artistic value of cultural relics can be restored to the maximum extent, and the world can enjoy the beauty of classical cultural relics more deeply.

Sources from: https://creality3dpro.store/blogs/news