In Practice: TREC Cooper Hawk Case Study

This page documents how the Sustain 3D workflow was applied in practice for the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC) Cooper Hawk specimen.

1) Project snapshot

Project

TREC Specimen Scans (TREC_SpecimenScans_2026)

Case focus

Cooper Hawk specimen (TREC_0001_CooperHawk)

Capture hardware

Artec Space Spider

Processing software

Artec Studio 17 Professional, then Blender for access optimization

Naming basis

VAR Lab pattern TREC_XXXX_<SpecimenName>

Publication status

Access copy published; preservation package prepared for DOI workflow

2) How the workflow played out

Capture

Raw scans were created from the specimen

The object entered the project as structured-light scan data.
  1. TREC provided the specimen model for scanning.
  2. Raw scans and exported high-resolution OBJ were created from Artec Space Spider capture.

Processing

Raw and preservation packages were retained

Working files stayed in project folders while the master and access paths were separated.
  1. Raw and preservation packages were retained, and a smaller web-access model was derived.
  2. Blender working files were kept in project processing folders.

Publication

The access derivative was released separately

The public-facing model was treated as an access copy, not the preservation authority.
  1. Access GLB was published to Sketchfab.
  2. Preservation master package and metadata were copied into repository preservation storage for long-term retention.

3) Workspace vs preservation storage

Switch between the active project view and the long-term preservation view to see how the same object was organized.

Case study folder views

01_raw_scans/

Stored TREC_0001_CooperHawk__v01_raw/ as the untouched capture package from the scanner workflow.

02_processing/

Held the Blender working directory and other in-progress files used to prepare access outputs.

03_preservation/

Contained TREC_0001_CooperHawk_v01_pres/, the preservation-ready export prepared for handoff.

04_access/

Stored TREC_0001_CooperHawk_v01_access.glb, the smaller access derivative for publication.

documentation/

Held the metadata and paradata notes that explained how the case study package was created.

Raw package

This retained the original capture outputs as the closest record of the scanning event.

Preservation master package

This was the authoritative long-term package for the processed model.

Metadata file

The metadata note preserved context, rights, scale, and processing decisions so the package can be interpreted later.

This handoff kept working directories lean while preserving the full archival package in dedicated preservation storage.

4) Metadata used for this object

Case study metadata

TREC_0001_CooperHawk

Selected fields from the object record

Structured Light (Artec Space Spider)
Artec Studio 17 Professional; Blender
millimeters (mm)
TREC_0001_CooperHawk_v01_pres.obj
TREC_0001_CooperHawk_v01_access.glb
Digital scan copyright 2026 VAR Lab; physical specimen property of TREC
internal
Multi-pass structured light scan; aligned in Artec Studio 17; minor hole filling only; no reconstruction

capture_method

This makes the technical origin of the case study explicit and helps future users interpret the dataset correctly.

software_environment

Software history matters because vendor tools and versions can affect future access and reconstruction.

scale_units

Scale is essential for measurement, print reuse, and future comparison work.

preservation_master

This identifies the authoritative processed file rather than the public-facing access copy.

access_files

The access derivative is a separate deliverable made for viewing and sharing.

rights

This case clearly distinguishes digital scan copyright from ownership of the physical specimen.

access_level

The metadata records that the preservation package is not automatically the same thing as the published access copy.

paradata

This is the record of scanning and processing decisions that shaped the final model.

5) Access copy publication

Public access copy

View the Sketchfab derivative

The embedded model is an access layer, not the preservation master.

Cooper Hawk Scan by VAR Lab on Sketchfab.

6) Preservation and storage status

Preservation package

Prepared for Zenodo DOI workflow.

Current storage strategy

Google Drive for remote access, local storage, and separate deep local storage.

Tracking record

Project-level policy and publication tracking maintained in Metadata/project_registry.json.