3D Model Design

Wisper E-bikes

admin — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:19:52 +0000

Axon56 and the UK leader in E-bicycles, Wisper, are now working together to design and develop a new and exciting range of E-bikes; watch this space for something very special.

www.wisperbikes.com

Welcome to 3D Model Design

admin — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 11:22:25 +0000

Axon56 3D Model Design is a dedicated service designing 3D models in a variety of different CAD programs. We have the capabilities to produce static 3D model designs for concept generation, finalisation of concept, technical detailing, engineering testing, tooling, product rendering and product animation.

This site contains a range of our 3D model designs but note that not all of our work may be present, this is due to confidentiality agreements with our clients.

Check back for frequent updates and new 3D model designs.

For further information on Axon56 and our other work, please visit our main site at www.axon56.com

Thanks for looking!

Using virtual worlds in architectural presentations

admin — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:02:30 +0000

For years architects have used 3D mockups of their buildings to present their customers with understandable visuals. These used to be sketches and have since become 3D models generated from CAD programs (Computer Aided Design). As computer processing power has increased, so too has the ability to render (generate into 3D) better 3D models. This all depends on what your end user requires and what stage you are at with your design (both the following examples, each have their use, click the images to enlarge):

Some architectural firms are now adding fly-throughs to their list of outputs. Allowing the client to watch videos of what the building will look like from certain angles and with certain light.

However, the latest client request is to allow the customers or those your proposing the plans too, to have the ability to navigate and virtually look around the building or urban space. By this, we mean that you can allow the council, the client, the customer, the planners and builders and anyone else involved in the building to see what it is they are going to get by allowing them to navigate the space on a computer.

To do this we integrate game 3D technology with the building or urban space and allow the user to play the game (be it, without weapons or certain game features that make it a game). People have tried doing this with Quake and SIMS games. However, the best place seems to be Second Life’s virtual world software (shown by the number of architectural firms investing in it).

With Second Life the user can do the following:

fly and walk around the building and thus fully explore the space occupied by it
have an inventory of items that they can add to the space and move them around (i.e. an office table and chair)
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) experience
network with the architect and other people involved in the program
everyone can have the ability to edit the objects (i.e. move walls and adjust anything in the space)

As you can see it offers the user and those involved a great tool to produce a better designed architectural project. The program is free to download and you can install it on display machines for users at exhibitions and meetings. We can’t rave abut it more, it is our program of choice and the most popular for this job.

The following video shows architects at work in second life. These architects are getting together to create a building using a wiki method (collaborating together to build something quicker). If you need a someone to create you a building or urban space then please click contact us.

3D Models and how to make them

admin — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 10:20:22 +0000

Basically, a 3D model is a computer simulated wireframe representation of an object. You will need a computer and some software to make a 3D model. You can then output your 3D model by rendering it. A process that allows you to create a flat image of the model with textures and lighting added to the model. You can also output the model to a 3D printer that can laser cut the shape. Alternatively, you can output a fly-through (a preset video of the object, recorded from different angles). You will need a 3D engine to present the object in a virtual world.

The following information will help you get started at building 3D models:

You will need a powerful computer and processor to run most of the software.

3D Studio Max is one of the most widely-used off the shelf 3D animation programs by content creation professionals. It has strong modeling capabilities, a flexible plugin architecture and a long heritage on the Microsoft Windows platform. It is mostly used by video game developers, TV commercial studios and architectural visualisation studios. It is also used for movie effects and movie previsualisation.

Blender is a free software 3D animation program. It can be used for modeling, texturing, animating, rendering, compositing, and creating interactive 3D applications. It is available to install on all the major computer platforms but it does have a steep learning curve. However, it is ‘free’.

Bryce is a 3D modeling, rendering and animation program specializing in fractal landscapes. Can be run on Mac and PC. It uses a uncommon interface but it’s not too hard to get to grips with how everything works. Owned by DAZ who have just bought Carrara, a object modeling application. Expect some merging of the two.

Cinema 4D is a commercial cross platform high-end 3D graphic. It’s popular with traditional artists and is easy to use for a high end product, its price is £586, so it’s not cheap but it’s used by the big boys in the film industry to make films like Polar Express.

Lightwave is a computer graphics program for 3D modelling, rendering and animation. It is an Emmy Award winning application for it’s use in many science fiction films (namely; Star Trek and Wars).

Maya is a high end 3D computer graphics and 3D modeling software package. It really is hi-end and has an Academy Award but costs $7000 for the unlimited license. It can be run under Mac, windows and Linux.

Sketchup is a 3D modeling program with basic tools and easy to learn interface. It is available for free from google and offers a great first step for beginners or small architectural firms.

We hope you choose the right package for your needs. It’s not a comprehensive list but contains the most popular programs available for a range of 3D uses.

If you need 3D models to help you get started you can view TurboSquid here (a 3D stock site) where you can download free and paid for stock models that other people have made.

Making Models from scratch

admin — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 10:18:52 +0000

A client will normally ask for a model to be made from a plan, a detailed drawing, a CAD or schematic. In most cases it involves a real life existing object or something that is about to be built, so there is always a blueprint of some sort available. If there isn’t then one will be needed. A range of blueprints can be found at http://www.the-blueprints.com. You can see an example of the Sony Aibo Blueprints below, this simple blueprint can be used to create the 3D wireframe and then modified and textures added to produce a 3D model.

3D Models in 3D Studio Max

admin — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 09:21:45 +0000

Here are some models we have made in 3D studio max:

Sherman Firefly tank to be used in a new flash 3D game (click here).

Click More to view more models:
Jet Ski’s for a new flash Jet Ski game (will be adding here shortly)

Suzuki Super Bike for new 3D flash game (the game will be added soon).