laser cutting of Architectural Models

Architectural models are physical models of architectural structures created by architects, contractors and town planners as a tool to make a physical illustration of the the final structure for construction planning and marketing purposes. Using physical model, it is possible to illustrate a wide range of buildings such as office towers, new neighborhoods under construction, shopping centers and even during a design of private houses. The model has several purposes:

1. Helps to identify design problems or malfunctions that did not appear during the designing stage, and to enables a three-dimensional view that helps in making decisions at the planning and design stages. Changes that will be made at this stage will save costs and time later in the project.
2. A good architectural model helps to illustrate how the future project will look like and makes it easier for the customer to be persuaded to commit and to invest money in the project that does not actually exist but on paper.
3. A professionally constructed architectural model adds to the image of the real estate company and serves as an attractive visual element - If a picture is worth a thousand words, a three-dimensional model is worth a thousand pictures.

A good model requires high quality building ability, maintaining the highest level of detail, and requires the use of special materials, techniques of coloring and combining different materials in order to reach the texture and appearance closest to reality. The scale size is one that allows you to be impressed by all the elements of the building, down to the smallest details such as environmental elements, vegetation, transportation and parking areas, and more. Some models allow the dissolution of hidden parts or the making of section cuts in the model to illustrate the internal structure of the building or the style of the interior design in the building. It is possible to include in the model elements like lighting, signage, special accessories and vegetation. Any additional means that will bring a better sense of reality to the model in its natural environment will make the model more accurate.

Laser cutting of architectural models

Architectural modeling is an area that relies heavily on laser cutting technology. Creative use of laser technology allows us to got out of the two-dimensional flat world and create a three-dimensional objects as we wish. In many cases, you can create the body you want to produce in a number of ways:

1. Divide the three-dimensional body into thick slices that can be cut separately with laser cutting (according to the appropriate raw material and it's thickness).
2. Create a flat layout by cutting the outline of the sheet and make marking lines (etching lines with the laser) for the folding lines, which can be folded to get the three-dimensional body (similar to folding cardboard boxes).
3. Assemble separate parts which was cut already from a flat sheet and glue them to create a three-dimensional body.

Laser cutting technology is a leading technology in the art of model building and almost as necessary as the craft knife. The rapid and simple ability to move two-dimensional drawing files of the building face to the cutting files in a precise and clean manner makes laser cutting an essential tool. The amount of time saved is great which allows the remaining time to focus on the exact details and adjust the colors and textures optimally in the model.

With laser cutting you can cut a wide variety of materials such as: cardboard, carton and other compressed cartons, papers, acrylic parts and other type of polymers, painted boards and fabric sheets. Laser cutting is also suitable for cutting metals like Aluminum, Stainless steel, Brass, Carbon steel and Galvanized steel.

Another important aspect regarding detailing of Architectural models is the ability to make laser engraving and laser marking on model parts. With this technique, many details can be added to the model on the surfaces of the model parts which are facing out. The combination of laser marking a part and imiddiatlly cutting it with the same laser machine, makes it accurate and possible to assemble the pieces as a kind of three-dimensional puzzle that finally forms the final model.

At Lasercut4 we provide laser cutting services for model constructors - we do not perform assembly of the models or their construction.

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More relevant information:

Article about materials and laser technology

Raw materials catalog