Evaluation of the use of 3D printing and imaging to create working replica keys

This paper considers the efficacy of 3D scanning and printing technologies to produce duplicate keys. Duplication of keys, based on remote-sensed data represents a significant security threat, as it removes pathways to determining who illicitly gained access to a secured premises. Key to understanding the threat posed is the characterization of the easiness of gaining the required data for key production and an understanding of how well keys produced under this method work. The results of an experiment to characterize this are discussed and generalized to different key types. The effect of alternate sources of data on imaging requirements is considered.