Case Study: Texas Tech University achieves an accurate 3D digital archive of the Statue of Liberty with 3D Systems' Geomagic Wrap

Texas Tech Creates Digital Archive of the Statue of Liberty with 3D Scanning

3D Systems supported a Texas Tech University-led effort, together with the National Park Service and HABS, to create a precise digital architectural archive of the 305-foot Statue of Liberty. The team faced the lack of any detailed original drawings, limited scan positions amid crowds and safety constraints, and an enormous dataset—13 scans totaling about 16 million points—that proved difficult to register and convert into accurate CAD-ready surfaces.

Using 3D Systems’ Geomagic Wrap, the researchers automatically registered the massive point clouds and generated accurate polygon and NURBS models, cutting weeks from the production timeline. Remaining holes from line-of-sight gaps are being documented and reviewed by HABS before automated fills are applied; when complete, the deliverables will enable exact replication of statue components and permanent preservation of the monument’s geometry for the Library of Congress and the National Park Service.

Texas Tech University

Glenn Hill

Director