| Studio 57F1 is a specialist product design and
modelmaking company. Handmaking highly detailed models from sketches
is one of their specialties, and their work includes chocolates
for major food manufacturers as well as the Boonie beer figurine.
They have previously been using a Roland CAMM-3 and PIX-3 to support
their modelmaking activities by scanning hand sculptured objects
or existing products and resizing them to the required production
size. All the work was done without having to use CAD programs.
David McCausland, owner of Studio 57F1 saw the potential of the
latest 3D CAD programs and 3D laser scanners to improve the company’s
productivity. “From our previous experiences with Roland
equipment we knew our productivity could be greatly improved and
the training required would be minimal” After reviewing the
Roland product range David invested in a Roland MDX650 CNC mill
and LPX600 3D laser scanner. David chose Roland products because
his existing CNC mill and scanner had provided them with years
of reliable service. Complementing the new Roland products are
Solidworks and Rhinoceros 3D CAD programs.
The Roland MDX650 with rotary axis attachments and automatic tool
changer allows Studio 57F1 to cut complex objects unattended from
multiple sides. The LPX600 laser scanner allows more complex objects
to be scanned in a shorter amount of time compared to the PIX3
touch probe scanner.
Within a day, David was scanning and cutting. “Qubic’s
installation and support have been an integral part of the success
of this investment.”
The new tools are providing rapid turnaround times for Studio
57F1 while maintaining accuracy. Chocolate designs are hand sculpted,
3D laser scanned, then analysed in 3D CAD packages to determine
their volume. Within seconds, adjustments are made to achieve the
exact volume required and the re-sized design is then ready for
client approval. “We can now machine multicavity tools particularly
for casting resin parts and vac forming with greater accuracy and
shorter turnaround times.”
Images courtesy of Studio 57F1 http://www.studio57f1.com/ |
