Sculpting digital dinosaurs

[muriel29@wavenet.com (MC2)]

        The new (May 18 [Vol. 149]) issue of _Science News_ has an
article on 3-D scanning technology that is used, for example, to scan
military pilot's bodies for the manufacture of form-fitting flight
suits and helmets ("Fit for a King," pp.316/7).
        This same technology is being used to scan dinosaur bones.
(Note: For some reason, the article inexplicably uses the word
"archaeologist" every time they should have used the word
"paleontologist.")  The article says that the method is used so that
individual bones can be scanned and then digitally scaled up or down
as required so that they are the correct size for the complete mount.
        I assume the digital bone replicas are milled; the article
doesn't say.  But I've often wondered if stereo lithography could be
used for this purpose.  (Indeed, the article mentions SL being used to
manufacture a 6" Buddha statue.)  Does anybody know what the state of
the technology of SL is?  What kind of tolerances are achievable?  How
expensive is it?

        T.A. Curtis                         E-mail: muriel29@wavenet.com
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