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Analysis January 2025: 3D-printing technology in lutherie

2025-01-10T06:00:00

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The possibilities for violin makers afforded by 3D-printing technology are limitless, as a new exhibition in Cremona shows – but is there a danger of the knowledge being misused?

As more and more rare violins are scanned with CT (computed tomography) or laser scanners, museums and collections are discovering the interactive possibilities of precision 3D-printed replica instruments made using the high-resolution scan data. In October, Cremona’s Museo del Violino (MdV) exhibited a 3D-printed reproduction of the 1715 ‘Cremonese’ Stradivari violin, allowing visitors to touch and closely inspect the instrument’s archings and geometry while the original violin…

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