This article outlines in depth all the nitty-gritty stuff you need to take into considerations before getting your feet wet with 3D Printing.

If you are new to 3DP you will get a good idea how much it cost, what does it take and where you can have your files made.

If you are an advanced 3D printing user, you will still find practical information on how to optimize files and test them before submitting to the printer.

Bottom line:

If you’d like to tap into the real potential of 3D Printing for Architectural model making, here is how.

Read on…

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF SCALE MODELS AND WHERE DOES 3D PRINTING COMES IN?

It’s not a secret anymore that 3D Printing technologies deliver numerous advantages to architects, builders, relaters and future homeowners. Starting from the initial design stages of a project all the way to the final blueprints and schematics, this tool can provide great visuals on time and budget. Scale models have always been part of the design process, but in recent years fewer firms are making them, even though most clients and investors would love to see a miniature of their future investment. And we understand, it’s time-consuming, it’s expensive and usually, only one copy is made when the design is close to being finalized. On the other hand, the 3D printing workflow reduces time and price, significantly. Another benefit is that it provides an almost entirely digital workflow, meaning that scale models can be modified and made efficiently at any time and any stage of a design in progress. There are only a few additional steps in converting already existing 3D files into 3D printable ones to obtain a highly detailed physical copy of any project. Instead, 3D renderings come into play. The truth is that photorealistic renderings and animations are not enough, it’s about visual vs. material. When it comes to designing a building from the ground up, home builders and architects often have a difficult time connecting and communicating with future homeowners and investors. Showing them the completed results in drawings and renderings alone is difficult. Physical 3D models provide immediate understanding even to the most non-technical personas. Now architects and builders have the opportunity to communicate faster, cheaper, and more efficiently with each other while leaving a long lasting impression on their clients.

3D MODEL READY FOR PRINTING AND RENDERING

3D Printing is ushering the comeback of architectural scale models. Firms worldwide are making the switch to 3D printing. At the moment, the technology is described as high-tech, but make no mistake, there will be a point in the future where 3D printing will become the standard. Now architects and builders have the opportunity of making the switch, gaining instant recognition by bringing exceptional value and advantage to their businesses.

FINAL 3D PRINTED SCALE MODEL WITH DESKTOP FDM TECHNOLOGY

Let’s get back to the point.

WHAT IS THE WORK INVOLVED IN CREATING 3D PRINTED ARCHITECTURAL SCALE MODELS AND WHAT IS THE COST?

There are two significant aspects of determining how much a 3D Printed scale model will cost: design time and 3D printing material. We must first be able to calculate a project accurately before putting time, effort, or sending requests for a quote. To gain a deeper understanding, here are few things we have to become familiar with:

Getting Started with Design For 3D Printing

The price of the design process depends on the time invested in it. Whether you do it in your studio or hire an agency/freelancer to do it for you, time is money. The time designing is associated with the complexity of the model, the information included, and the level of detail we want to achieve for the proper scale. What most architects don’t realize is that since you already work in a 3D environment, you most likely have already done more than half of the design work. Designing for 3D printing is slightly different from just composing in 3D. A file created for 3D renderings or CNC, for example, will require additional modifications. The difference comes apparent, and we have to design for the real world, in consideration of the 3D printing technology and the material properties we are going to use.

DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF 3D PRINTING FOR ARCHITECTURAL PRESENTATIONS

It doesn’t matter which CAD or 3D Modeling software you are going to work with or are already working (Rhino3D, SketchUp, Revit, 3Ds Max, Maya, Chief Architect, ArchiCAD, etc.). Currently, any 3D software package is capable of creating and exporting 3D print ready files. STL, OBJ, and VRML files are among the most popular. In case you’d like to give it a try and design in the comfort of your studio, we recommend to stick with the tools you know best or the software you are already using for the project. The benefit of doing this is that you can always apply the same design techniques form the very beginning of every new project you start. Once you learn how to create successful 3D print-ready files, this will save you tons of time and money in the long run. Designing with 3D printing in mind form the start is vital. By doing this, you can obtain a physical replica, after every significant change, instantly without having to spend time converting the same design file into a 3D print one.

MAIN 3D PRINTING DESIGN GUIDELINES

SOLID, WATERTIGHT, MANIFOLD 

The first and most important concept when designing for 3D printing is creating solid = watertight = manifold geometry. Watertight means that every edge of the model must have precisely two surfaces attached to it without any holes. Non-manifold geometry is essentially geometry that cannot exist in the real world. Models that are not solid by default might get misinterpreted by the slicing software, which will result in the object having inconstant layers, missing geometry, holes or not being printable at all.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOLIDS AND SHELLS

OUTWARD FACING SURFACE NORMALS (FACE NORMALS)

A normal is an invisible vector that is perpendicular to the surface. Make sure the directions of the normals are positioned outwards. Normals facing inwards (which is also referred as flipped normals), will create negative geometry that will be subtracted from the model or the printer won’t be able to read the geometry and will get confused. Almost any software has a tool that can show you the direction of the normals and command that lets you flip the ones you have to.

NORMALS FACING OUTWARDS

PROPER WALL THICKNESS

Always make sure that the walls of your model are thick enough to print. 3D printing technologies can achieve accurate features that are printable up to a point. Also, make sure that your design applies to the law of gravity such as features supporting too much weight. Make them relative to its thickness.

MINIMUM SIZE OF DETAIL FEATURE (EMBOSSED, ENGRAVED GEOMETRY AND HOLES)

The 3D printer precision mainly determines the minimum detail size. It is important to note that very fine features of the model can difficult to see or be lost during the cleaning process after the part was printed. A way to ensure the printability and visibility of a model is to exaggerate the smallest details slightly you’d like to have in the model.

A good practice is to analyze the model while designing it within your software of choice itself. Other alternatives are programs like Netfab, Meshmixer, and Magic, which can detect issues after the design is finished and repair the errors without altering the overall form of the model.

PROPER WALL THICKNESS AND MINIMUM SIZE OF DETAIL FEATURE

E-BOOK: HOW ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS, AND DEVELOPERS ARE BENEFITING FROM 3d PRINTING:

FURTHER OPTIMIZING THE FILES BEFORE PRINTING

Going an extra step and optimizing the model you are about to print is also an essential part of the process and should not be skipped! File optimization will save you money on 3D printing itself and will ensure that you get the exact result you are hoping for. This is where a pro-3D printing designer can show off his skills. For the beginners, there is nothing to worry about! Service bureaus like Shapeways and Sculpteo are packed with all the tools needed to make it happen in your browser once the models are uploaded.

Here are the optimization tips and tricks worth considering before starting a print:

HALLOWING THE 3D MODEL 

Using less material while 3D printing will result in spending less money. Solid models consume a lot of material. Most 3D printing service providers charge per material volume (cubic centimeters) being printed. Simply hallowing a model, the price can drop dramatically from thousands of dollars to a few hundred.

HALLOED STL FILE OF AN ARCHITECTURAL SCALE MODEL

CREATING ESCAPE HOLES (WHERE APPLICABLE)

All powder technologies require escaping holes if hallowed internally so the unused powder material can be removed from inside the model and be reused. Before hallowing your model, make sure you get familiar with the design guidelines of the 3D printing technology you are planning to use.

STL FILE WITH ESCAPE HOLES

REMOVING UNNECESSARY GEOMETRY

This seems obvious, but it is worth mentioning. For scale models, any features that are not visible, functional or are too small are worth considering removing or not modeling to start with. This way you can continue to save some money on 3D modeling and 3D printing. Simplify the model as much as you can!

MINIMIZING THE NEED FOR SUPPORT STRUCTURES (WHERE APPLICABLE)

Concerning desktop 3D printing, overhangs are challenging to work with. An overhang is a section of the model where the next layer is not supported or is partially supported by the previous layer. In this case, we need support structures to ensure printability. Consider minimizing the supports or working your way around them in case you are using an FDM/FFF desktop 3D printer. If the supports are being printed with the same material as the part, the surface in contact won’t appear as good as the rest of it. Besides, they might be hard to remove, and if you are not careful, you can damage the printed model too, which adds to the overall time.

FILE SIZE, FACE COUNT, AND FILE RESOLUTION

As we said earlier, simplify the 3D model as much as you can! Regarding size, your final file when exported for 3D printing can’t be larger than 50MB or have more than 1,000,000 faces/polygons.

The file resolution refers to the number of polygons the models contains. More polygons equal smoother surface for curvatures and larger files. We all want prints to be as smooth as possible, but most machines cannot achieve a tolerance higher than 0.01 mm, and you won’t be able to tell any visible difference between 0.1 and 0.01 mm tolerance in most cases. Try to keep polygon count to a minimum, especially for more complex projects.

FILE RESOLUTION AND FACES COUNT

REPAIRING FILE ERRORS

You have now exported your architectural project to the proper file format following all the design guidelines in consideration to the 3D printing technology and material that will be used. But let’s be real, producing complex and completely error-free 3D printable files is not as easy as it sounds. Specialized software tools like Netfabb, Magics, Make It Printable, Meshmixer, MeshLab and others are here to solve this. Always run your final design through one of these programs. They will let know if there are any mistakes and where within your file. The best part is that with a few clicks you can fix most errors and have 3D print ready files.

ANALYSIS OF PERFECT STL FILE

SIMULATING PRINTABILITY

It’s always a good idea before submitting your files for 3D printing to double check them. You can do this with a slicing software like Cura or Simplify3D to quickly visualize the layers to spot any inconsistencies. No matter the 3D printing technology you are planning to use, you can set those programs with the same layer height, x-y resolution, etc., to get a pretty good idea of how the final printed part will look like in layers.

3D Printing

Now, you have to decide whether you want to print in-house or outsource:

IN-HOUSE 3D PRINTING

A good desktop 3D printer fitted for the purpose starts at around $1,500 to $4,000, more professional office friendly machines start at $20,000 to $80,000 with full-color capabilities or outstanding print resolution. If you are on the market, looking for a 3D printer keep in mind that one machine can’t do it all. Any technology has its cons and pros. Another consideration you have to make is, do you have time to operate and maintain the machine? Also, post-process, the parts coming out of it, like removing supports, cleaning powder material, etc., will add time to your schedule or money to your payroll. Before investing in an in-house solution ask yourself how many models you will be producing monthly/yearly. If you plan to put the machine to good use, then go for it.

DESKTOP FDM/FFF 3D PRINTING IN-HOUSE

OUTSOURCE 3D PRINTING

Service providers like Shapeways, Sculpteo, 3D Hubs, Ponko, etc., give you a lot to choose regarding technologies and materials. They will do the whole 3D printing and post-processing work for you, leaving the tasks of designing, uploading your files and paying for the print, in your hands. If you are not looking to develop prototypes all the time, or even not for all of your projects, this would be the way to go. You can always get professional 3D printed results straight to your mail at a competitive price. As we said earlier, the 3D printing price is calculated per cubic volume of material needed.

3D PRINTING SERVICE PROVIDERS

CONCLUSION

The true investment in creating 3D printed architectural scale models is in the design. Getting the files ready and optimizing them is the key to successfully unitizing the technology. From there, whether you decide to outsource the printing process, or to do it in-house, the price per model and the time invested will be significantly reduced compared to the old ways of model making. It’s entirely up to you when you are going to dive in and improve communication with clients as well as your process of work within your team.

FIND OUT HOW ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS, AND REALTORS ARE USING 3d PRINTING:

What’re your thoughts on the Creating 3D Printed Architectural Scale Models? Do you think it will become the new standard for the architectural presentation? Let us know in the comment section below!

The post HOW TO CREATE 3D PRINTED ARCHITECTURAL SCALE MODELS appeared first on My 3D Concepts.

The architectural industry is a highly competitive industry. For every project, architects are facing relentless competition. Clients have a vast variety of choices, which drive architectural firms to seek performance and innovation. Thus providing an incentive that would make them stand out and be chosen, is the key to winning a project. As a result, using high tech to describe their practice, many start to turn for help towards Additive Manufacturing (AM). The 3D printing benefits for architects and the competitive advantage that it offers within the design processes are gaining more and more popularity.

Today architects use 3D printing mainly as a tool for conceptual models and show models to motivate prospective clients and investors. It is an excellent complementary tool for rendering images and computer models. Communicating the idea – giving a depth, dimension, and texture to a project – it’s an excellent way to stand out from the other firms.

The technology improves the efficiency of the workflow. Key 3D printing benefits for architects and clients:

FASTER AND CHEAPER

The process of making a model by hand is a long and tedious process of the past. Whether is conceptual to test the design (1-2 weeks) or a final version (2 -3 months), building a model manually using cardboard, wood or foam, creates a long timeline. That is, in turn, leads to reasonably significant investment for a single model.

In contrast, 3D printing cuts the timeline significantly allowing for the designers to have in just a few hours an architectural model with a high level of precision, while decreasing the costs up to 75%. Furthermore, a 3D printer can operate non-stop overnight for the larger and more complex models, which take longer to print.

EASY ITERATION.TEST MULTIPLE DESIGN CONCEPTS 

The technology adds great value by increasing the productivity. One of the 3D printing benefits for architects is to test quickly many concepts and iterations in the early stages of the project. Thus to recognize swiftly different potential issues, which would be a lot harder to identify on computer simulations. Moreover, designers can print low-cost architectural models overnight at different stages of the project. Used as study models, with various designs and scales, to asses space, volumes, and general structure.

In a short-term and at a no great cost – one can print new, changed, redesign and improved design based on the previous models and corrections. Making many iterations of the model helps determine how the design influences its surroundings. Looking on a bigger scale, one can examine how the massing of the model fits in the massing of the city. Going a size bigger – how it influences the massing of the neighborhood. Zooming more and more – the plasticity or the massing of the building itself.

IMMEDIATE UNDERSTANDING 

With physical 3D printed model, the communication between the architect and the clients is evident. Therefore the understanding of the concept – immediate. For instance, when you have a meeting with your clients, put a scale model in one corner of the room and load photorealistic renderings in the other. You know where the most of their attention will go. Right?

COMPLETELY DIGITAL WORKFLOW(ALMOST)

The only things needed are the proper 3D file, compatible with the 3D printer and the material requirements and the machine will do the rest. Since you already work in 3D environment, there are only a few additional steps to prepare a model for 3D Printing.

Why Almost?
– The 3DP parts are suitable for further post-processing. Depending on the desired results and the material used there are various techniques to improve the look and feel of a model.
– Assembling the models in case of multiple parts or modules designs.
– In-house 3DP requires operating and maintaining the machines. Things like generating G-code, loading materials, removing support structures, cleaning the fresh out of the printer parts, calibrating etc.

DESIGN FREEDOM. COMPLEX SHAPES AND FORMS 

3D printing allows for shapes and forms of high complexity to be created at no extra cost. Intricate and elaborate designs are created straight out of the printer. Shapes that would be close to impossible or extremely hard to recreate with any other tool. With additive manufacturing, any structures and shape are possible as long as the design meets the machine specifications with the chosen material requirements.

Check out our insightful report on how 3D Printing is being used in the architectural industry today:

EASY FABRICATION OF MULTIPLE COPIES

When a design is final, and a 3D printable file is obtained, you can make as many exact copies as you wish. This feature is not only handy but also uncommon, considering the conventional ways of making models. Now you can gift each of your investors and clients a scale model copy of the project they hired you for.

EASE OF USE. LITTLE TO NO MANUFACTURING SKILLS 

No extensive knowledge of fabrication or model making is required. Familiarity with the design guidelines and 3D software is all you need to get started. Children in elementary schools have begun to create their own figures using 3D printing processes. This technology is the most direct way to manufacturing and with only a few lessons anyone can have the basics skill to 3D print!

VISUALIZATION FOR STRONGER IMPRESSION 

Moreover, 3D printing allows for multiple realistic and detail copies at any stage of the project to be printed. Use an as show models – to better communicate and motivate clients and investors. Going into a meeting with an exact model of the building that is going to be built, is a great visualization tool. Also, an effective way to make a lasting impression. The technology allows for external as well as internal exceptional detail visualization. Also, it can produce robust and accurate presentation model with texture and railings.

Furthermore, architects can combine 3d printing with traditional model making for the final models for a more significant impact. Save time and money while adding value with the addition of fine touches for a more realistic view. (For example rocks, grass, plants, snow, carpets, bedding, etc.)

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE 

Basic or complex, one or many – 3D printing saves time, costs and eliminates to a great extent the waste using up to 90% of the raw material all while providing high-quality fine featured models.

There are available 3D printing filaments that:

• are produced commercially from recycled bottles of polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
• are plant-based and are biodegradable;
• and third, that allow for the waste material to be reused.

INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

Models are produced faster, easier and cheaper at any time during the design process. Any new changes made in the design are adapted and printed efficiently/simultaneously. Update your models in short notice and at no great cost, make changes and corrections on the fly based on the previous designs.

BIM compatibility.  An easy and efficient path form BIM to 3D Print, however, for best results we recommend a third-party software to be implemented in the process. Also, some 3rd party plugins may ease the process of generating 3DP ready files. 

The Future of the Architectural Industry

3D Printed Conceptional Scale Model on a Desktop 3D Printer. The model includes exterior and interior information about the project.

3D Printed Conceptional Scale Model on a Desktop 3D Printer. The model includes exterior and interior information about the project.
All things considered, 3D printing is going through the same process of development as computer drawing. Some people genuinely believe that this is the future and others who don’t see the use for it. The technology combines the precision of computer simulation and the tangibility of a scale model. Computer drawing evolved from hand drawing to photorealistic renderings. Similarly, just as nowadays you can not go to a client with a hand drawing, there will be a point in time where clients will no longer accept any model that does not have the detail level and visualization qualities that 3D printing provides. The core 3D printing benefits for the architects are that it saves time and money while increasing the value to the clients.
Consequently, the driver for that progression will not be the architect, but the client and what he wants. And thanks to the flexibility of 3D printing, what the client wants is what the client gets!

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And we get it – you are an architect, builder, developer with a project at hand, deadlines coming up and a client who demands perfection. There is no room for compromises nor mistakes. But it is not only one project, it is not only one client, is it?
What if the project requires something that is not your core expertise? What if your client demands quick and high quality results?
Saving time, hustle and stress, and obtaining even higher quality results are worth spending money on.

The frustration experienced by most of the professionals that chose to outsource have a common denominator – most of them were being burned not by outsourcing itself, but by choosing the wrong company to outsource to! Most of them were being tricked by seemingly qualified companies offering attractive low prices, but at the end “You get what you paid for.”

How do you decide to outsource? Outsourcing is a huge step and a risky venture! Consider the following:

• 3D renderings and 3D printed scale models are not part of the core business processes
• You want to have access to world class capabilities and knowledge in the area without paying high costs of hiring professionals and maintaining special department in-house
• You want your internal resources focused on your core business
• You want to save costs and free yourself from the hustle of controlling and managing tasks and still realizing jobs – well done with high quality results
• You want to retain control over the aspects that make your business unique

Saving money on something valuable to you and your clients, while saving time that you can spend accomplishing something else. You do not need to go as far as China, Korea or India to outsource.

God is in the details!

A good 3D rendering or 3D printing professional artist will be able to understand, work with, and develop the ‘story’ you’re trying to tell. They can intelligently translate your ideas and convey them in a way that will be true to your design intent.

When quality and attention to detail matter (which they almost always do, even when you think they don’t), you should hire an artist or a company based on the quality of similar work they have done – particularly if you can get a recommendation from someone else they’ve worked for – and then pay them what they’re worth. You should know that 3D rendering and 3D printing are powerful applications and conceptual tools, but also labor intensive!
Why try to shortchange such an important aspect of a project?

A few points to evaluate when trying to decide who to outsource to:

• Ratio of price to quality is the primary thing to consider when outsourcing. First look for the quality level that suits your needs, then try to establish a good collaboration
  
• Remember that in most cases, you get what you pay for
• A lot of good designers use a lot of different software. High-end software requires a big financial investment but doesn’t always guarantee superior results; a skilled artist or company can produce excellent work no matter what platform they use
• Many people feel that it’s best to work locally and build a long-term creative partnership
• Be aware that you may encounter a language and cultural barrier if outsourcing to a distant country.
• Working across different time zones can make revisions or follow-up challenging
• A reliable firm or freelancer should be willing to update you on the progress of your project whenever you want
• When using a new company for outsourcing, make sure to build in some extra time for corrections

Depending on your vision and purpose, outsourcing can help you gain access to new markets – by lowering the projects time while bringing you clients more value. The bottom line is that running a successful business at some point in time you will have to either outsource or hire more talents. For the big enterprises outsourcing has become a key component defining growth, maximizing profits and leveraging global knowledge.

Which way will you go, let us know in the comment section!

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Whether it is in your home, office, school, university, hospital, library, gym or mall – we spend an essential part of our day indoors. Buildings have impact on people’s behavior, mood, productiveness and even health and inspiration.

Buildings are not just shelters anymore.

Today’s architecture is questioned about how Eco-friendly it is, how it serves the community. It is also an expression of style and uniqueness. Above all it inspires, conveys a message, represents believes and culture. It is no more just a building. But it is a place that aspires to create, to think, to feel. As a result, the building becomes the connection between nature and day-to-day life. The focus falls on the meaning of the building. Is it there to bring people together or to separate them? Is it creating an atmosphere that predispose to creativeness and productiveness? Buildings bring in nature, culture and history in the center of big modern towns. It’s an age of rediscovering the potentials of a building. People now are involved and opinionated about the surrounding architecture.

Global Conversation – The Power of Social Media and Smart Phones

We live in a fast developing world where social media and smart phones create a global conversation about buildings and empower people to share these opinions. As a consequence, people now have the power to influence global perspective and shape up the realms of Architecture.

Social media also empowers architects.

It gives them the power of knowledge. They know in real time people’s desires, wishes and views about how a building should look like and be, what a building should represent and how it should interact with the environment. Social media gives them new ideas. It inspires them to seek solutions to nowadays pressing issues. They have the know-how of how to design buildings according to all those new trends in architecture. Furthermore designers have the knowledge and the vision to create greener, smarter and friendlier buildings taking into consideration at the same time what the public and the individual wants.

Smart phones, computers and tablets are not the only technology that define Architecture today. Computers and software transform ideas into reality by creating photo-realistic visualization of the ideal office building or the dream house.

 But what breathe life into a vision is 3D printing.

3D Printed High Detail Architectural Scale Model.

With 3D printing we are entering new age of architecture that will define our future. In particular 3D printing gives a holistic perspective of a project and as a whole brings the Architectural revolution to new levels.

The Drift of not only Globally but Instantly

We live in a complex world. World of constant interaction. A world where time is one of the most valuable commodities. We live in a dynamic world – everything is now. There is no patience and tolerance for waste of time. 3D printing technology helps architects by bringing in flexibility, immediate understanding, time and cost saving.

My 3D Concepts empowered by 3D printing has the tools and knowledge to help respond effectively and efficiently to all those trends. There is no need to seek different places for different solutions. We combine 3D Modeling, 3D Rendering, Photo Manipulation and 3D printing to create the perfect digital and physical visualization of your project. We translate ideas into reality.

With its endless possibilities 3D printing allows us to transform a two-dimensional on screen visualization into exact model of the building that can be seen from different perspectives with the surrounding landscape; that could be taken apart floor by floor, that can be designed and organized. These technology allows easy and fast modifications, error corrections and adjustments. It brings fast and easy understanding of the project. All that within hours. You do not need to build a whole house to be able to get a feel of the space. In a matter of days we enable you not only to see, but also to hold your idea.

Here at My 3D Concepts we help you materialize your vision.

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