Case Study: NASA achieves precise 3D reconstruction of the Apollo F‑1 engine with 3D Systems

Reigniting the F-1 Apollo Engine with Geomagic 3D Scanning Solutions

3D Systems’ Geomagic scanning team, working with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and consultant ShapeFidelity, was tasked with re‑creating an original Apollo F‑1 engine for the new Space Launch System. With incomplete blueprints, more than 400 major parts, and concern about correctly reassembling the engine after disassembly, NASA needed an accurate as‑built digital definition to bridge the gap between drawings and reality.

The team used ATOS Triple Scan and TRITOP surveying to capture a baseline Outer Mold Line and then disassembled and individually scanned each part, processing point clouds into precise 3D surface models with Geomagic reverse‑engineering software. Over four months they produced a complete virtual assembly that enabled CAD analysis, flow‑path and clearance checks, and the re‑creation or manufacture of original parts in modern materials.

NASA

Rob Black

Geomagic Account Manager