{"id":3963,"date":"2026-04-21T07:52:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T07:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tetravision.be\/case\/ambacht-meets-technologie-unieke-peddels-digitaal-bewaren\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:05:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:05:19","slug":"craftsmanship-meets-technology-digitally-preserving-unique-paddles","status":"publish","type":"case","link":"https:\/\/tetravision.be\/en\/case\/craftsmanship-meets-technology-digitally-preserving-unique-paddles\/","title":{"rendered":"Craftsmanship meets technology: digitally preserving unique paddles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A passionate canoe enthusiast owned two unique, handmade paddles that, unfortunately, are no longer in production. Both he and his fellow canoeists are fans of these specific designs, but the craftsman who originally made them no longer supplies them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The requirement was clear: these paddles must be reproducible. Not just a single copy, but the ability to manufacture them again in the future using 3D milling or 3D printing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of the two paddles presented its own challenges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paddle 1 (plastic, three-piece):<\/strong> A composite plastic paddle consisting of a handmade wooden handle, a shaft, and a blade. The handle had to be scanned so it could later be 3D-printed in plastic. The blade, with a unique shape that is no longer in production, also had to be scanned and modeled. Both parts required a matching taper to fit into the shaft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paddle 2 (wood, flatwater):<\/strong> A solid-wood flatwater paddle with a perfectly tapered blade. It is precisely this taper that makes the paddle so special, and it is nearly impossible to reproduce identically through pure handcrafting. The entire paddle (approx. 151 cm long, blade 50 x 13 cm) had to be scanned and modeled so that new copies could subsequently be produced using CNC milling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

3D Scanning with the NimbleTrack-E Gen 2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For this project, we chose the NimbleTrack-E Gen 2, one of our wireless laser tracking systems. This system combines optical 3D scanning with markerless tracking and is particularly well-suited for objects of this size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The paddles were scanned in our lab. Thanks to the wireless functionality and the tracking system, we were able to accurately capture the entire geometry, including the subtle variations in thickness across the blades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Reverse engineering with QuickSurface<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After scanning, we processed the scan data in QuickSurface, our reverse engineering software. We use this software to convert the raw 3D scan data into usable CAD models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the plastic paddle, we modeled the handle and the blade separately. The corresponding taper, needed to slide the parts into the shaft, was incorporated into the CAD model. For the blade, the team also took into account visible wear on the underside: this was deliberately omitted from the CAD model so that the final result closely resembles the original, unworn shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the wooden flatwater paddle, the focus was on precisely mapping the thickness distribution across the entire blade. This is precisely the feature that makes this paddle so special and one that is virtually impossible to reproduce by hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Validation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, we delivered a concise measurement report comparing the original scan data with the reconstructed CAD model. A color-coded plot visualized the differences, allowing the client to immediately see where the model deviated from the original scan and to what extent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The result<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The customer received validated CAD models of both paddles, ready for use in production. With these files, they can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n