3D-Printed Footwear Impressions as a Tool for Simulation-Based Forensic Education

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-817-7_13How to use a DOI?

Keywords

3D Printing; Footwear Impressions; Forensic Science; Simulation-Based Education

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing provides new possibilities for transforming digital forensic data into physical models that can be repeatedly examined, analysed, and used in practical training. This paper focuses on the application of 3D printing to the reproduction of three-dimensional footwear impression evidence and explores the potential use of such replicas in simulation-based forensic science education. A digital model of a footwear impression was prepared for physical reproduction using two additive manufacturing approaches: fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA). The workflow included preparation of the digital model, slicing, printing, and post-processing of the resulting replicas. Particular attention was paid to the practical requirements and limitations of both printing approaches. Under the tested conditions, the exploratory observations indicated that SLA printing considerably reduced the production time of the tested footwear impression model compared with the previously applied FDM approach, while requiring additional procedures related to model preparation, cleaning, and UV curing. The results also highlighted the importance of appropriate print settings, support structures, and material selection when reproducing geometrically complex forensic traces. From an educational perspective, 3D-printed traces from simulated crime scene replicas are proposed as reusable physical objects that can be incorporated into simulated scenarios and practical tasks focused on trace documentation, measurement, comparison, and interpretation. The presented approach therefore provides a connection between digital documentation, physical replication, and simulation-based practical education.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Veronika Kollová
AU  - Lukáš Lencsés
AU  - Eduard Kolla
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/29
TI  - 3D-Printed Footwear Impressions as a Tool for Simulation-Based Forensic Education
BT  - Proceedings of the SAFAR Scientific Conference 2026 – Building Awareness through Immersive Learning (SSC-BAIL 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 141
EP  - 150
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-817-7_13
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-817-7_13
ID  - Kollová2026
ER  -