Due to unexpected circumstances, we have temporarily paused the 3D printing service. We apologise for the inconvenience.
Please note that our 3D printing service is only available to members of Oxford University. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to offer printing services to external organisations, businesses or private individuals.
Unfortunately, the Radcliffe Science Library cannot create 3D scans for you. If you wish to create your own scan of an object for us to print, please see the information below. Make sure the file meets the guidance outlined in the section on How to submit a 3D printing job.
Can I create a 3D model without the need of expensive 3D scanning hardware?
Yes! With advancements in camera sensors on smart phones and computer vision in photogrammetry software, it is now possible to create your own 3D model using your smartphone to capture the images, and a computer to process them.
What will I need?
Camera Settings
If you have access to manual controls on your camera, enable the settings for consistent aperture/shutter speed. To make sure as much of the object is in focus as possible, you will need to increase the aperture to at least 5/6. Take a test photo, and if part of the object is still out of focus, then increase the aperture again. If your camera has the option, shoot in RAW instead of JPG.
Lighting
You want to make sure your object is as evenly lit as possible. If you are 3D scanning something outside, you will want to shoot on an overcast day, to avoid any harsh shadows that create dark areas on the object. Try to shoot in the daytime to increase the light as much as possible. If shooting inside, then you will need a well-lit room with plenty of natural light, or use some lamps to brighten up the room.
Taking the photos
You want to make sure you take enough photos of the object to be able to build up as much data as possible. As you move around the object it is recommend you take a photo every 10 degrees or so. You will need around 30-36 images per full rotation. If you want more detail, you can do another pass of the object at a different angle, e.g. looking up, straight, looking down, as in the following image:
1. Load up Meshroom
2. Save your working file
3. Drag and drop all your images into the 'Images' tab on the left hand side
4. Press the green 'Start' button at the top
Note: The coloured progress bar helps follow the progress of each step in the process:
5. Once the model is finished, you can then check it over with the following controls;
6. Once the process has finished, the files should have already been created. You will have a .obj file for the mesh and a .png file for the texture. To find these files, right click on the 'Meshing' or 'Texturing' node and select 'Open Folder' to find them. They will all be in the same location you saved the file at the beginning.
7. If you want to clean up your model, check our '3D Modelling Software' page for more information about software you can use. Meshmixer is a good free one to start with.
8. Now you have the mesh and texture, you are ready to upload the model to your preferred platform to view online. You can upload it to the University platform called Cabinet, or you can use Sketchfab .
If you have any questions or would like to discuss using the service, feel free to contact us at rsl3dprinting@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.