In the 90’s, the introduction of laser cutters completely revolutionized the way scale models were made. There was a distinct before and after in the industry. Similarly it would seem, 3D printers were predicted to have the same effect on the industry but in our opinion it has not been the case.
While we do use 3D printers in our shop, it has simply become another tool in our extensive arsenal that can help us re-create complex shapes in a small scale. It is true that the advancement of 3D printers and computer software have given architects the freedom to design more complex forms that would not have been possible in the past. As a result model makers use the same technology to reproduce the very same shapes on a tiny scale. However, for the time being 3D printers continue to be one more very capable tool in the model maker’s tool box. We wonder what exciting new developments are in the horizon.
