CNC machine for architectes,what do you think?

[arthurparrot]

Hello,my name is Arthur from France,

 

 

my friend Showed me a model of a house he have made for his architecture work with his cnc machine while he was babysitting his kid,and since that i wondering,since it's easy and fast to use that machine(his kid didnt die lol),what about a CNC machine specificly made for architects, a machine that will transfert the creativity and the ingenious ideas of an architect to a reality:rolleyes:,would you want a machine like that?what do you all think about my idea ??or am i just dreaming again. Im not an architect you guys are the experts in the domain.

 

 

 

[innerdream]

That's old technology, everyone is using laser cutting to build models now, there are some parts milled still but not like before laser cutters.

[arthurparrot]

That's old technology, everyone is using laser cutting to build models now, there are some parts milled still but not like before laser cutters.

 

I don't think it's old,still used by millions and still delivers, lasers cost too much, a simple laser to cut 1/8 inch metal costs 20000$ and a laser that cuts 1 meter long wouldn't fit on a tabletop also a laser leaves edges burned and not refined for models. My idea is to make a machine that will be useful to architects and replace the high cost of lasers, the approximative burned pieces and let any architect make their own parts without outsourcing and be able to operate it in minutes,but like i said before i'm not in the domain.

A laser would not be able to do this:

[innerdream]

Like I said some parts are milled, some are acid etched and most are laser cut. I build models professionally and have for over 30 years.

 

 

Models are made of plexi-glass mainly for high end finish model not metal. The only metal parts we "usually" make are mullions that are acid etched.

[arthurparrot]

wow that's awesome, what type of machines do you use mainly for your work?what kind of technologies does it have, what software do you use to create the files for your machine?

[innerdream]

During the recession I opted to sub contract out all the parts for the models I build, laser cutting, milled topo models, acid etched parts. I don't own any machines anymore. It's cheaper to sub out the parts for me as I don't build as many models these days as I did in the past, I have switched over to 3D rendering as my main business.

 

 

Model making used to be a good business, not sure anymore how the big shops are doing?

[Scott Schroeder]

Can you compete with the price range, say sub $2,000, of the current generation of desktop 3d printers?

 

I don't see a very big market for what you are pitching. Most places either already have an established in-house model making department or outsource it to a model shop. Those that do outsource, create models only rarely and would never invest in machines to sit in some room and be idle 95% of the year. The rest can be covered by entry to mid level 3d printers.

[innerdream]

Can you compete with the price range, say sub $2,000, of the current generation of desktop 3d printers?

 

I don't see a very big market for what you are pitching. Most places either already have an established in-house model making department or outsource it to a model shop. Those that do outsource, create models only rarely and would never invest in machines to sit in some room and be idle 95% of the year. The rest can be covered by entry to mid level 3d printers.

 

 

3D printers don't make good enough models for high end presentation work such as leasing office models etc.

 

 

There are many types of models, foam core, wood, museum board study models, laser cut illustration board a step up and plexi-glass presentation models to name a few.

 

 

The only people I know that are still in the model making business make mainly plexi-glass presentation models, like these guys that I used for parts a lot http://modelworksinc.com/mw-high.php I worked in house at Gensler for 20 years and at Walt Disney for 3 years it was mainly non presentation models and occasionally a plexi-glass model.

 

 

We did a lot of models like this one, laser cut colored paper and board.

Edited March 14, 2016 by innerdream

[jinjinn]

I do contract work for a bigger physical model maker company. I am sure there is a market although you are probably better off with hobby / maker type customers since there is more of them out there.

I recently built a Shapeoko 2 CNC which is a great. It is around 2k so it's inline with prosumer 3D printers.

There is definitely room for laser cutters, 3d printers and CNC. They all have their uses.

Edited March 14, 2016 by jinjinn

[innerdream]

I do contract work for a bigger physical model maker company. I am sure there is a market although you are probably better off with hobby / maker type customers since there is more of them out there.

I recently built a Shapeoko 2 CNC which is a great. It is around 2k so it's inline with prosumer 3D printers.

There is definitely room for laser cutters, 3d printers and CNC. They all have there uses.

 

 

 

Personally I have no interest in building physical models anymore unless it's a really good fee, 3D rendering is a lot easier.

[jinjinn]

I leave the brunt of model making part to the company I do contract for. I mainly work on 3D models that are complex or laser scanned that I rework for their use. I also mainly focus on renderings but I am actually trying to do more physical work now...something different I suppose.

[ediskujovic]

I dont think the quality of printers is that bad. You have to know how to model for 3d printer, slice the model and know what a 3d printer can and cannot do. If I was to get a machine for a firm it would probably be something from wasp.