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3D printing a fossil with the MakerStudio

This guide will show you how to find and 3D print a fossil using resources from the Bierce Library MakerStudio.

Step 1: Create an account

Navigate to the Morphosource website, found here:

https://www.morphosource.org/?locale=en

You will need to create an account, this will include information on your institutional connection, area of study and intent of use with Morphosource objects. Morphosource collects this information to provide feedback and statistics on the use of object images provided by their numerous institutional partners. There are different profile types that you will need to choose from based on your needs. Here is what the account creation page looks like:

 

After setting up your profile you can begin searching for 3D fossil scans. Morphosource has biological objects available in many different formats, but to 3D print any of them with the MakerStudio they will need to be in specific formats. The quickest way to find these files is to browse by media types and modalities, shown in the screenshot below.

 

This will take you to a page that lists the different types of files Morphosource has available. Scroll down and select Mesh or Point Cloud, this will narrow your search options to 3D printable files only.