Artec 3D

Artec 3D is a Luxembourg-headquartered developer and manufacturer of professional three-dimensional scanning hardware and software. Its product portfolio is centered on capturing the geometry and color of real-world objects and converting that information into usable digital models. The company serves organizations that need accurate digital representations for reverse engineering, inspection, manufacturing, medical customization, scientific research, education, entertainment, design, law enforcement, and the preservation of cultural heritage. Artec’s principal technology is structured-light scanning. Its scanners project patterned light onto an object and use the deformation of that pattern, together with triangulation and successive viewpoints, to calculate three-dimensional coordinates. Depending on the product, the light source may be blue or white. The resulting data can be aligned, cleaned, fused, textured, and exported for computer-aided design, 3D printing, visualization, or archival purposes. Artec also offers a portable laser-scanning system for larger objects and spaces, extending the range of its portfolio beyond handheld structured-light devices. The company’s hardware has historically covered several scales of capture. Eva is a handheld color scanner intended for medium and large objects, while Spider and Space Spider address smaller or more intricate parts that require greater detail and accuracy. Leo adds onboard processing, a touchscreen, wireless operation, and real-time visualization, allowing users to monitor coverage while scanning. Ray is a portable long-range laser scanner for large objects, rooms, outdoor areas, reverse engineering, inspection, and preservation. Micro is an automated desktop scanner for very small components and objects, with applications including quality control, jewelry, and dentistry. Software is a central part of the Artec proposition. Artec Studio provides acquisition, alignment, data cleaning, fusion, texture processing, and export functions, including an automated workflow known as Autopilot. The company has also offered tools such as Artec ScanApp for Mac-based capture with compatible scanners and the Artec Scanning SDK for developers building customized applications around Artec scanning hardware. Integration with downstream CAD and engineering tools supports workflows in which a physical object is measured, reconstructed, modified, and manufactured again. Artec’s applications demonstrate the breadth of 3D digitization. Engineering and manufacturing users have scanned water infrastructure, vehicle interiors, ships, and mechanical parts for maintenance, customization, inspection, and reverse engineering. Healthcare applications include custom prosthetics, orthotics, infant helmets, and facial masks used around reconstructive or aesthetic procedures. Researchers and educators have digitized fossils, animal and human remains, historical artifacts, museum collections, and architectural sites. In entertainment and media, scans have been used to capture people, creatures, and objects for visual effects, advertising, figurines, and other forms of digital or physical reproduction. The company has also pursued more accessible and automated experiences. In 2013 it launched Shapify.me, an automated full-body scanning service that produces small, full-color 3D portraits known as Shapies. The related Shapify Booth uses multiple scanners mounted around a rotating platform to capture a person rapidly and convert the result into a printable model. Under the Artec ID name, the company developed Broadway, a three-dimensional facial-recognition system intended for biometric identification and access-control applications. Broadway technology was used in security preparations associated with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Artec 3D maintains offices in Luxembourg, the United States, China, Japan, Portugal, and Montenegro. Its international footprint supports sales, technical service, partnerships, and deployments across multiple regions. The company’s work in documenting cultural heritage and war-related evidence has also given its scanning technology a role beyond commercial production. In January 2026, Russian authorities designated Artec 3D an undesirable organization, citing the company’s provision of scanners to Ukraine for cultural-heritage preservation and documentation of alleged war crimes and other incidents connected with the Russo-Ukrainian war, including the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 investigation. This development is a significant geopolitical event associated with the brand, although it does not by itself establish a change in the company’s commercial status.

Artec 3D developed as a specialist 3D-digitization company focused on combining optical scanning hardware with software capable of converting captured data into practical three-dimensional models. Rather than treating scanning as a stand-alone measurement step, the company’s product strategy has linked acquisition, registration, processing, visualization, and export into an integrated workflow. This approach has enabled its systems to be used by engineers, designers, researchers, clinicians, educators, filmmakers, museums, and other organizations that need to recreate physical objects digitally. The company’s technology is primarily based on structured light. A scanner projects a patterned light source onto an object, observes how the pattern changes across the object’s surface, and calculates spatial coordinates through triangulation. Multiple frames are combined to build a three-dimensional representation, often with color information. The method is suited to non-contact measurement and can capture objects that would be difficult to measure manually. Artec’s portfolio has included both white-light and blue-light systems, with blue light used in products designed for detailed capture and improved control of certain optical conditions. One of the company’s early product directions was the handheld professional scanner. Eva, released in 2012, was designed for medium-to-large objects and combined portability with color capture. Spider, released in 2013, targeted smaller and more complex objects requiring higher detail. Space Spider followed in 2015 and incorporated thermal-control and stabilization features associated with its initial development for the International Space Station. These products helped establish a range in which users could select a scanner according to object size, surface complexity, and required accuracy. Artec also explored consumer-facing and automated capture. In 2013 it launched Shapify.me, a service that created small, full-color 3D portraits from full-body scans. The Shapify Booth, unveiled in 2014, automated this process using multiple scanners arranged around a rotating platform. A capture could be completed rapidly, after which software generated a watertight model suitable for printing. The booth could be purchased or leased by businesses, positioning full-body scanning as an experience and retail service as well as a technical application. The company’s work extended into biometrics through the Artec ID brand. Broadway 3D used three-dimensional facial geometry for rapid recognition and was associated with airport security at Sochi in preparation for the 2014 Winter Olympics. This represented a distinct application from object digitization, but it relied on the same broader capability: extracting and comparing detailed three-dimensional spatial information. Later hardware broadened the scale and setting of capture. Ray, introduced in 2018, was a portable long-range laser scanner intended for large objects and spaces. Its uses included reverse engineering, inspection, and preservation, with remote operation and integration into Artec’s software environment. Leo, also released in 2018, emphasized mobility and ease of use. It incorporated processing hardware inside the scanner, a touchscreen, wireless operation, inertial sensing, and live visualization so that an operator could see the developing model and identify missed areas during acquisition. Micro, introduced in 2019, addressed the opposite end of the scale: it was an automated desktop scanner for small components and objects, with applications in inspection, reverse engineering, jewelry, and dentistry. Software has remained a major part of the company’s offering. Artec Studio supports capture, alignment, removal of unwanted data, fusion, texturing, and export. Its Autopilot workflow guides users through processing choices and can automate significant portions of alignment and model preparation. Artec has also provided a Mac capture application for compatible hardware and an SDK intended to let developers create customized applications around its scanners. Compatibility with CAD and engineering tools allows scan data to move from physical measurement into design and manufacturing workflows. The company’s documented applications span industrial maintenance, healthcare, science, education, creative production, and cultural heritage. Examples include scanning water pipes for condition assessment, vehicle floors for custom accessories, naval vessels and components for repair, and patients for customized medical devices. Researchers have digitized fossils and human remains, while museums and heritage organizations have used Artec systems to record buildings, artifacts, reliefs, and endangered or extinct animals. In media, scanning has supported the creation of digital or physical likenesses and the production of visual assets for films, advertisements, and figurines. Artec 3D is headquartered in Luxembourg and has offices in the United States, China, Japan, Portugal, and Montenegro. Its international office network reflects a business model serving global professional and institutional customers. In January 2026, Russian authorities designated the company an undesirable organization. The stated context included Artec’s provision of scanners to Ukraine for the preservation of cultural heritage and documentation of war-related incidents and alleged crimes, including evidence associated with Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. This event added a geopolitical and legal dimension to the company’s public profile while the available reference material continues to describe Artec 3D as an active scanning-technology business.

• 2026

  Russian undesirable-organization designation

  [1]Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org

  Russian authorities designated Artec 3D an undesirable organization in connection with support for Ukrainian heritage preservation and war-related documentation.

• 2019

  Micro desktop scanner released

  [1]Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org

  Micro brought automated, high-accuracy scanning to very small objects and components.

• 2018

  Ray and Leo released

  [1]Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org

  Artec expanded both ends of its professional range with Ray for long-range large-area scanning and Leo for mobile, onboard-processed handheld scanning.

• 2015

  Space Spider released

  [1]Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org

  Space Spider extended the handheld range with blue-light capture and thermal-stability features developed for demanding operating conditions.

• 2014

  Shapify Booth unveiled

  [1]Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org

  Artec presented an automated booth that rapidly captures a person from multiple angles and prepares a printable full-color model.

• 2013

  Spider and Shapify.me introduced

  [1]Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org

  The company released Spider for detailed scanning of smaller complex objects and launched Shapify.me for automated full-body 3D portraits.

• 2012

  Eva handheld scanner released

  [1]Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org

  Artec introduced Eva, a color handheld scanner for medium-to-large objects and general professional 3D capture.

A professional 3D digitization brand combining portable scanning hardware, automated capture, onboard processing, and software workflows for accurate, color-rich digital reconstruction across industrial, scientific, medical, creative, and heritage use cases.

• Handheld structured-light 3D scanner · 2012

  Artec Eva

  Eva is a handheld color scanner released in 2012 for medium-to-large objects. It captures dense geometric and color data without requiring a warm-up period and supports common mesh and point-cloud export formats. Its combination of portability, speed, and moderate accuracy has made it suitable for engineering, healthcare, design, education, and general-purpose professional digitization.

• Handheld structured-light 3D scanner · 2013

  Artec Spider

  Spider is a handheld color scanner released in 2013 for small, intricate, and geometrically complex objects. It emphasizes fine resolution and accuracy and is designed to reduce the need for physical markers or extensive manual alignment during processing. Typical uses include reverse engineering, inspection, design, and the capture of detailed components.

• Handheld structured-light 3D scanner · 2015

  Artec Space Spider

  Space Spider is a blue-light handheld scanner released in 2015. It was initially developed for the International Space Station and incorporates temperature-control measures intended to preserve accuracy during extended use. The scanner is aimed at detailed capture of smaller objects and technical parts in demanding professional environments.

• Portable laser 3D scanner · 2018

  Artec Ray

  Ray is a portable long-range laser scanner released in 2018 for large objects, rooms, structures, and outdoor areas. It is designed to capture from substantial distances while minimizing noise and post-processing effort. Applications include reverse engineering, inspection, industrial measurement, crime-scene documentation, and historic preservation.

• Automated full-body scanning system · 2014

  Shapify Booth

  The Shapify Booth is an automated full-body scanning installation unveiled in 2014. Multiple Artec scanners rotate around a person on a platform, capturing the body rapidly from many angles. Software then converts the data into a watertight, full-color model that can be used to produce a small 3D-printed portrait. Businesses can acquire or lease the system.

• Three-dimensional facial-recognition system

  Broadway 3D

  Broadway is a biometric facial-recognition system developed under the Artec ID brand. It uses three-dimensional facial geometry rather than relying only on conventional two-dimensional imagery, enabling rapid registration and recognition at a defined working distance. The system was used in airport-security preparations associated with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

• Handheld structured-light 3D scanner · 2018

  Artec Leo

  Leo is a wireless handheld color scanner released in 2018 with onboard processing and a touchscreen. Operators can watch a three-dimensional replica develop in real time, rotate or zoom the view, and identify missing coverage during capture. Its mobility and broad operating range make it suitable for parts, machinery, vehicles, interiors, and large or difficult-to-access scenes.

• Automated desktop 3D scanner · 2019

  Artec Micro

  Micro is an automated desktop scanner released in 2019 for small objects and components. Synchronized color cameras and a dual-axis rotating platform produce detailed digital replicas through selectable scanning paths. It is positioned for quality inspection and reverse engineering of small parts, with additional applications in dentistry, jewelry, and related precision work.

• 3D scanning and post-processing software

  Artec Studio

  Artec Studio is the company’s principal scanning and post-processing environment. It manages capture data, aligns separate scans, removes unwanted surfaces, fuses geometry, processes textures, and exports models for downstream use. Its Autopilot workflow can guide or automate processing decisions, and the software supports workflows connected to engineering and CAD applications.

• Scanning capture application

  Artec ScanApp

  Artec ScanApp is a Mac application designed to capture data from compatible Artec scanners, including Eva. Captured data can be processed within the application or transferred to another computer for further work in Artec Studio.

• Software development kit

  Artec Scanning SDK

  The Artec Scanning SDK enables developers and organizations to create customized software applications that work with Artec handheld scanning hardware. It extends the company’s platform beyond packaged applications and supports integration into specialized technical workflows.

• 2026

  Russia designates Artec 3D an undesirable organization

  In January 2026, Russian authorities designated Artec 3D an undesirable organization. The cited context included the company’s supply of 3D scanners to Ukraine for cultural-heritage preservation and documentation of alleged war crimes and other incidents related to the Russo-Ukrainian war, including Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

  Source

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• 2019

  Address precision scanning of very small objectsProduct launch

  Background

  The existing handheld portfolio did not target every desktop-scale inspection and digitization task.

  Action taken

  Artec introduced Micro, an automated desktop scanner using motorized rotation and synchronized cameras for small objects.

  Aftermath

  Micro extended the brand into small-part inspection, reverse engineering, dentistry, jewelry, and other precision applications.

  Source

• 2018

  Broaden the portfolio across large-area and mobile scanningProduct launch

  Background

  Professional users needed both long-range capture for large objects and faster, more autonomous handheld workflows.

  Action taken

  Artec released Ray, a portable long-range laser scanner, and Leo, a wireless handheld scanner with onboard processing and live visualization.

  Aftermath

  The two products expanded Artec’s coverage of industrial inspection, reverse engineering, preservation, fieldwork, and large-object digitization.

  Source

• 2013

  Expand 3D scanning into automated full-body portraitsProduct launch

  Background

  Artec’s core professional scanning technology could also be used to capture people and generate physical likenesses.

  Action taken

  The company launched Shapify.me, an automated service for producing full-color 3D portraits from full-body scans.

  Aftermath

  The initiative broadened the brand’s visibility beyond engineering and research and led to the Shapify Booth business model.

  Source

1. 1Artec 3Den.wikipedia.org