Life-size Model of 3U Cube Satellite.

We recently completed this 1:1 scale mock-up of a 3U Cube Satellite for the Glasgow Life museum. The photos don’t show the model in its fully finished state because most of the black solar cells still have a thin protective film on them. We left the film on to protect the panels while the model was assembled on site. The model was too fragile to be shipped in its “deployed” position so the main body and four solar panels had to be kept as separate components. The protective film could then be removed once the model was securely mounted. We’re hoping to get a “finished” pic from the museum once the display is finalised. We have produced numerous satellite models over the years including several variations of this design (see Industrial Models page).

Roof-off view of Porter’s Lodge refurbishment, St John’s College, Oxford.

Whilst the majority of the models we produce are about external appearances, occasionally we get a project like this where the main purpose is to show internal views. Often the best way to do this is to create a model with a “roof-off” view like this recently completed model showing the planned internal refurbishment of the Porter’s Lodge at St. John’s College, Oxford. We’ve shown the new proposals in full colour to differentiate them from the existing buildings which are stylized and painted white. Part of the refurbishment proposals include a new front courtyard with an arched colonnade entrance feature which is why these areas are also shown in colour. The courtyard retains all the existing trees, some of which are close to 300mm tall at 1:50 scale. We actually custom-made all the trees to reflect the shape and characteristics of the real trees.

Aircraft model for exhibition display.

This eye catching model of a fire fighting “water bomber” plane was commissioned to hang above a stand at a trade show event. We particularly enjoyed this project, especially when we reached the stage of adding the Canadair red and yellow livery which really brought the aircraft to life. The model had a 1.5m wingspan so for easier transportation we designed it in 3 separate sections – fuselage, wings and tail plane – that could be easily assembled on site using just 3 bolts. The model was made almost completely from balsa wood so was extremely light. If we’d fitted model engines and radio control gear we could have flown it out of the workshop!

Interactive model to illustrate best water management.

This interactive model was commissioned by the NFU as a visual demonstration to farmers of good water management practices on their land. The model shows two different catchments, one illustrating a high risk landscape with poor farming practices and the other showing a low risk landscape where the delivery of good practice minimises risks. The buttons on the front of the model activate LEDs set in the landscape to highlight different aspects of land management practice. The brightly coloured area shows an example of a Scimap, a graphic plan that shows farmers the risk areas across their land.

Cardiff city model relocated to Cardiff Castle.

We’ve just moved our 6.5m x 5.5m model of Cardiff city into the visitor centre at Cardiff Castle, an exciting new venue where it will become part of the organised castle tour. The model is fully interactive with a touch screen interface that provides onscreen information whilst lighting up the relevant building or area on the model. If you click on the left inset pic above you should be able to spot (despite the rain) the profile of the castle’s twelve-sided Norman Keep, one of the finest examples in Wales.

High-quality industrial model for exhibition event.

“I’ve got to say you’ve done a better job of building that, than we do the real thing. Honestly, the level of detail looks amazing!” This was the client’s reaction when we sent him photos of the model – and it wasn’t even fully finished at that point. They were equally impressed when they received the finished model, so much so that a director from their US and Canada based partner company got in touch shortly afterwards to order a second model to be shipped to their US offices. At 1:10 scale the model was just under 1m long and came with a custom-built Perspex cover.

Realistically detailed farm landscape for milk producer.

This is the second 1:32 scale model we’ve produced in the last 3 months – you can see the previous project if you click on the Recent Projects tab above and scroll back to October. As you can see from the photos, this scale allows us to show a high level of realistic detail in the landscaping and the structures. It’s also useful because a lot of detailed “off-the-shelf” items such as cows and vehicles can sourced on line. This model is actually a direct physical representation of a CGI model the company had produced for a previous marketing promotion.

Our third warehouse model this year.

We seem to have found a niche for automated warehouse models as this is the third we’ve produced this year. They’re technically challenging projects due to the amount of small detail that needs to be modelled in the racking and conveyor belt systems but probably the most challenging aspect of these models is interpreting the extensive and highly detailed CAD files we have to work from. Fortunately we have a lot of experience producing complex industrial models of all descriptions so it’s become somewhat of a specialized field for us. If you’ve got a requirement for a model of machinery or an industrial installation of some sort, we’d welcome the opportunity to provide a quotation.

Three presentation models for drilling rig manufacturer.

At 1:400 scale these drilling rig models were only just over 200mm wide so were extremely small and fiddly to make. For example the handrails you can see in the close-up photos were less than 3mm tall. Because of the small scale the client said the models could be slightly simplified, which they are, but as you can see from the pics we still managed to show a high level of fine detail. When completed the three models were shipped to the client in Aberdeen, after which they were shipped on to their own clients as gifts.

… with added Scalextric track!

This 3.6m long exhibition model was built in 3 sections that could be bolted together on site. The model was designed to demonstrate three steel framework designs for the client’s car port systems which feature solar panels on the roofs. The client also produces steelwork for field mount solar panels which you can see on the first inset photo above. The model was built at 1:32 scale (the same scale as Scalextric) so that a track could be incorporated to attract visitors to the stand.