2014/10/28

3DPrint.com October 27,2014: 3D Printing Takes the Place of Traditional Clay Modeling in Forensic Facial Reconstruction

3D printing is now proving extremely useful in the field of forensic facial reconstruction, a method of identifying skeletal remains. The process consists of recreating the face of a person with only the skull as a reference. An artist schooled in anatomy, anthropology, osteology (the study of the function and structure of the skeleton), and forensic science gradually builds up the face from the surface of the skull, adding clay like layers of tissue — muscles, cartilage, tendons, and so on until the skin and facial features are in a sense restored.

This practice is used in situations where human remains are found in order to attempt to identify the person and to determine whether a crime has been committed. It is also used by anthropologists and archaeologists when remains of ancient humans and homonids are discovered.

A major problem with the current practice of forensic facial reconstruction is that the skull must be used and can, in the process, potentially be damaged. Even though the layers of clay are removed after the reconstruction has been completed and the finished work photographed, it isn’t an ideal scenario. 3D modeling and printing provides an excellent alternative to using the skull and one Tampa, Florida company, Engineering and Manufacturing Services, Inc. (EMS), has developed a system of forensic facial reconstruction that eliminates the need to use the skull. more