How to print yourself in 3D

(7 Oct 2016) LEAD IN:
As 3D printers become more commonplace, the latest craze in Indonesia is 3D printing yourself.
3D human miniatures are now being widely used to capture milestones from school graduations to weddings.

STORY-LINE
3D technology has taken Indonesia by storm in recent years.
And now, with the arrival of more affordable equipment, people are finding more commercial ways to use the scanning and printing materials.
Sugacube Studio claims to be the country's first digital company that offers personalised 3D printing to document people's lives.
With offices in the capital Jakarta and neighbouring city of Bandung, it provides an opportunity for ordinary Indonesians to make 3D miniatures of themselves.
The studio uses a photogrammetric method to make 3D models of real-world objects.
It has installed 75 digital cameras in its photo room. Staff take a detailed 3D scan of each client in their preferred poses within a couple of seconds.
Sugacube then offers its clients a preview of what their digital self looks like, at which stage they can make special requests such as making them look stronger or slimmer.
Once the client has approved the final look, the studio takes the digital image to a high-quality 3D printer that processes each layer from the bottom up.
With an average monthly revenue of $5,400 US dollars, Sugacube has clearly tapped into something that's a hit with Indonesians.
"Indonesians are obsessed with their pictures, whether they are selfies, wedding photos, pregnancy photos or birthday photos of their children. This turns out to be a cultural trait of Indonesians who love to have their picture taken," says Sugacube studio owner Harry Liong.
Sugacube clients are given guidelines before their shoot. They're told to avoid certain types of clothing that are harder to scan, such as reflective clothes and anything with small patterns.
After the shoot, clients can choose various sizes of their miniature selves and can opt for full-body or half-body images.
They can also buy groups of miniatures, with a maximum of 2 adults and 1 child allowed in the studio at a time.
Sugacube uses sandstone to make its 3D models and prices range from $190 US dollar for a mini size to $1,500 US dollars for what they call the 'Godzilla' size.
The whole process takes between 2 and 5 weeks and the studio boasts 90% accuracy for its 3D miniatures.
This has got many customers returning for more, including 35-year-old Hanindya Sukrishna.
He first discovered Sugacube on Instagram and has so far bought 2 types of miniatures of himself.
Now he's back at the studio for a third time to order his biggest and most complex miniature yet
Meanwhile, another digital studio in the capital is using iPads and tablets to make 3D miniatures for clients on a smaller budget.
During scanning, clients have to stand still for around 30 seconds while a scan operator moves around them with an iPad.
K3D studio uses single-colour resin to make 3D miniatures and the end products usually take the form of keychain rings and fridge magnets.
The whole process takes as little as 2 hours.
"The customers usually look surprised when they see how good the final product is. We are using synthetic resin for the printing and the result is very, very detailed," says Tony Wiriyanto, K3D owner.
29-year-old Cynthia Yulianti saw K3D studio at a recent exhibition and has been following its social media account ever since.
She has decided to make her first 3D miniature as a souvenir for her upcoming birthday party.


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