Printing 3D Models
Onscreen spinning 3-D models can now be transformed into physical terrain models you can hold in your hand and view from all angles much like the papier-mache models we saw in museums as children, proving the old proverb, "the more things change the more they stay the same." It should also be noted that the equipment is in testing phase and there appears to be a size limit on the printed terrain object. | |
 | Step 1Export an ArcGIS 3D-Analyst Scene in VRML format (.wrl) |
 | Step 2Open the VRML file in the printer software and send to the printer |
 | Then the object is printed on the Z406 printer |
 | The Z406 builds the object from the bottom up. It squirts a colored adhesive into a layer of powder everywhere the object is to be. It then scrapes another layer of powder over the first and again sprays colored adhesive everywhere the object is. It repeats this process until the full height of the object is printed. |
 | Step 3The object is "excavated" from the tub of powder using a vacuum then carefully removed by hand. |
 | Step 4The object is placed inside an air tight bin, and the remaining unbound powder is blown away using an airbrush. |
 | Step 5The object is painted with a hardening agent like ethyl cyanoacrylate ester (a.k.a. superglue). |
 | Step 6After the object has dried, it is ready to be handled. (click on image to enlarge) |
