Three‐dimensional plotting as a visualisation aid for architectural use

Functional design is closely linked to manufacturing and building. Designers' freedom to express themselves is often limited by the capabilities of craftsmen who have to give physical substance to the designer's ideas. This paper reviews the use of rapid prototyping (RP) to construct complex geometry. Three‐dimensional computer aided design data are transferred to a build volume on a 2D layer‐by‐layer basis. This manufacturing method results in the rapid production of a physical model that can be used to verify designs, check form, fit and functionality, as well as to create a depth perspective. The paper describes a fresh approach into an old industry, i.e. model making. Results proved that models built by conventional methods can be cost‐effectively substituted by RP methods without the surface limitations created by cardboard models.