A comparison of the actual tower to the printed model
A view of the complete printed model
The unassembled pieces of the structural frame
A comparison of the actual tower to the printed model
Strath Fire Lookout Tower
Company: Taylors Development Strategists (2016)
Software: Autodesk AutoCAD, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
This is one of the most complex structures I have been tasked with modeling and 3D printing. It was based on survey and laser-scan data of a fire lookout tower in the Australian outback.
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Using point cloud data, I created a solid 3D model of the tower, staying accurate to the structure while simplifying it when needed to adjust for scale and the limitations of 3D printing (eg simplifying angle/I-beams to be rectangular solids of consistent thickness, omitting some features such as antennae).
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With the overall structure modeled, it was clear that the complexity of the structure would be impossible to 3D print without an unacceptable amount of support material. To solve this issue, I split the framework and watch house into several pieces that could be printed independently without support material and assembled after printing.
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I am quite proud of the final assembly. It was a challenging design to 3D print and it turned out fantastic.
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The model files can be found on Thingiverse here.
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