“By incorporating rapid prototyping into the model making process, I have reduced the development time by 50%, with only a marginal increase in the development costs,” said Phil Whitelaw of Modelmaker.com.
There’s nothing like seeing a scaled-model of a development project to help sell the architectural vision. That belief drove Phil Whitelaw to create Modelmaker.com, a successful model making company, after years of serving as a local TV weatherman in Ft. Myers, FL.
With a number of architectural model projects on his plate, Phil felt that there must be a better and faster way to put a scaled model in front of commercial and residential developers to help them bring their dream to life.
Conventional models, built primarily by hand, were taking a minimum of 6 months to complete.
Process
A talented model maker with a college degree in Fine Arts, Phil turned to Brian McLaughlin of Concepta Design, a 3D modeling company based in Portland, Maine, to turn his architectural designs into 3D CAD models.
Brian, a certified SOLIDWORKS designer, replicated condo buildings down to the finest detail including the corrugated roofs. By converting Modelmaker’s AutoCAD drawings into 3D models, Concepta Design was able to utilize QuickQuote, 3D Systems' On Demand Manufacturing instant online quoting process, to explore the costs and benefits of using the latest rapid prototyping technologies.
From the 3D models, Brian used On Demand manufacturing to price scaled models of the North Star Yacht Club in High-Resolution Stereolithography. Within a matter of minutes, Brian was able to provide Phil with a cost of producing key components of the North Star Yacht Club.
“3D Systems provided me with the ability to compare multiple rapid prototyping processes to find the right material and process for Modelmaker,” said Brian McLaughlin of Concepta Design, a longtime Quickparts customer. “With the range of design projects at Concepta, it’s comforting to know that I have a development partner that extends my belief in customer service and has a wide range of 3D printing technologies available. As a result, the design and development process are seamless.”
Accomplishment
Utilizing the high-resolution durable material from 3D Systems' Stereolithography process, Concepta Design was able to provide Modelmaker with scaled models of the major residential units which Modelmaker could customize.
While real estate and marketing firms have recently adopted video presentations to convey the benefits of large developments, Phil Whitelaw continues to champion the benefits of scaled-models to help visualize properties.
“By incorporating rapid prototyping into the model making process, I have reduced the development time by 50%, with only a marginal increase in the development costs,” said Phil Whitelaw of Modelmaker.com.
