Designing a model building platform

[torbenhl]

Hello paper people

I’m doing a project on combining construction kits and 3D printing as part of my master thesis in industrial design.
Inspired from the user involvement from crowd funding, I want to develop the concept partly in collaboration with potential users and hope you are interested in helping out with either feedback or input.

I hope to get inputs from all kinds of model builders, from paper modeling to Lego to model engineering. You're experience paper can hopefully help shape the development in a direction of something you might use in you're future modeling projects.

Do you currently use 3D printing in combination with any of your projects? Which types of modular kits do you use?
Any thoughts/references/ideas related to the project, that you may have will be very helpful.

If you're interested in helping, please comment/follow at either my wordpress page or the Facebook page it links to. The Facebook page is still "infant", but don't be afraid of liking and please share anything.
The project has just entered the idea development stage, so I'll start posting regular updates shortly.
Can I post links here in any way?

Thanks for any time you may invest in helping me in my project.


Torben Hove Larsen

MSc 4, Industrial Design
Architecture, Design and Media Technology
Aalborg University, Denmark
M: +45 28296663

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The basis of my project:

With inspiration in the diverse use of modular toys like Lego, GeoMag and littleBits, I am doing a master thesis project based on the fact that these are all targeted children.

Related products, aimed at a grown up audiences are either fixed kits like Revell or freeform modeling with advanced methods like lathing or milling. My aim with this project is to develop a product in the middle, between these two types of products. A product that facilitates creative model building.

To set the product in a contemporary context, the idea development will be based on a concept of including 3D printing as a mean for further modulation.
This way it will be a platform for facilitating the personal use of 3D printers along with being a construction kit for model building.
The idea development will be based on the following problem statement:

“How can a modular construction kit both facilitate model building and enhance the qualities and use of a personal 3D printer?”

[Vermin_King]

Welcome to the forum, but I don't think I am going to be much help

[torbenhl]

Thanks Any feedback will help. What kinds of models do you build?

If you would even write that at the Facebook or Wordpress page it would really help me, to get it started Is it possible to post links here?

[Vermin_King]

You can post links after ten posts, I think. It may be less

I build downloadable paper models. Cut, Fold and Glue

[ashevilleangler]

Torben, your thesis project sounds ambitious and fascinating. I wish you good luck in it's completion. However paper modeling as generally practiced by members of this forum is not really a modular exercise. Perhaps models designed in Pepakura would be more likely to lend themselves to a modular approach.

I think that simply taking the time to browse around this site will give you more information than you'll get from individual responses.

Hope this helps ,

Curt

[thorst]

I'm also interested in your project but have to admit that I do not fully understand yet the actual principle of the "platform". Could you give an example on how it could be used to give us a better picture of your aims?

Best regards,
Thorsten

[Dabeer]

This seems like something that would definitely be right at home in the RC world. I know I have several heli gearboxes I'd love to prototype with 3D printing, if only it were more cost effective.

[torbenhl]

Originally Posted by ashevilleangler

Torben, your thesis project sounds ambitious and fascinating. I wish you good luck in it's completion. However paper modeling as generally practiced by members of this forum is not really a modular exercise. Perhaps models designed in Pepakura would be more likely to lend themselves to a modular approach.

I think that simply taking the time to browse around this site will give you more information than you'll get from individual responses.

Hope this helps ,

Curt

Hi Curt

Yeah papermodeling is maybe a bit off, but I thought it would be interesting to hear from different modeling communities. Further your motivation for modeling is probably close to model engineers and AFOL's.
Why do you make paper models? Mostly for the pleasure of creating or for decorating purposes too?

Torben

[torbenhl]

Originally Posted by thorst

I'm also interested in your project but have to admit that I do not fully understand yet the actual principle of the "platform". Could you give an example on how it could be used to give us a better picture of your aims?

Best regards,
Thorsten

Hi Thorsten

I see the platform concept as closely related to GeoMag and Lego, yet set in an alternative context aimed at adults and optimized for combining with 3D prints. Like GeoMag Pro Panels, but different

Torben

[torbenhl]

Originally Posted by Dabeer

This seems like something that would definitely be right at home in the RC world. I know I have several heli gearboxes I'd love to prototype with 3D printing, if only it were more cost effective.

Hi

Yes. RC would be an interesting hobby to include in the target group.

Torben