2BOT Develops Subtractive Modeling System

Not every piece of new manufacturing technology has to be additive in order to be interesting. Both additive manufacturing (AM) and subtractive manufacturing processes are valuable.

It’s most common to find subtractive systems in workshops and factories, but 2BOT has developed a subtractive process that can be used in a classroom or office setting. 2BOT calls its new system the ModelMaker. Viewed in operation, it acts like a desktop mill using 3D data and proprietary material to produce models built in SketchUp, AutoCAD, and similar modeling programs.

2BOT hopes to see its ModelMaker system find a home in classrooms. Courtesy of 2BOT.

As far as technical specs go, the ModelMaker is a desktop-sized system, with a 25 x 25 x 13 in. footprint. 2BOT claims the system is accurate to 0.030 in., and has a cutting speed of around 1 in./sec. The standard material cassette that fits into the ModelMaker is 12 x 12 x 2 in., but 3D designs can be sliced into multiple production runs to produce larger models.

ModelMaker comes as two models, one meant for architects and the other for the classroom. 2BOT is making a serious move in the education market with its new system, and is promoting problem-based learning as a must for the digital generation. From the website:

The modern classroom is filled with digital natives conditioned to receive information in ways the traditional classroom never expected. Advances in classroom technology have allowed interactive instruction including sound, video, and instantaneous student responses. Classroom ModelMaker is proud to introduce the next dimension in interactive learning, allowing students to create physical models from virtual data. From airplane wings to ancient pyramids, from a hands-on lesson in comparative anatomy to the creation of lithopanes, all curricula can be enhanced through physical modeling.

While they might have been given different tags, the architecture version of the ModelMaker looks identical to the classroom version. The main difference being 2BOT’s advertising its 2BOT Studio for building 3D designs, and a more in-depth explanation of how the system operates.

2BOT spends a lot of time on the site proclaiming how much less expensive the ModelMaker is when compared to a 3D printer, but doesn’t actually post a price anywhere. The company also claims material costs are lower using their proprietary cassette, coming in at 5 cents/in.

Below you’ll find a video about the ModelMaker.

Source: 2BOT