Roland R-World Online | Fall 2007

For Industrial Design Students, MDX-540 Is Changing the Face of Model Making

AARHUS, DENMARK – For years, Industrial Design (ID) students at the Aarhus School of Architecture have had to drill, cut and polish their ideas into models. For smaller models, this craft has always been both difficult and dangerous. To lower the risk of accidents and to produce more accurate models, the school recently installed a Roland MDX-540 high-end milling solution.

Equal Educational Opportunities
Carl Schneider is a head carpenter at the School of Architecture in Aarhus in charge of the workshop where up to 15 ID students at a time have made models by hand up in the past. This process required them to cut, drill and polish small pieces of wood into models and has favored male students over female students since males often enter the school with more experience in the craft.

According to Schneider, “Our female students seem more inhibited when using the tools than the male students. Typically, they do not have the same experience in the craft of modeling which makes it harder for them to get started.”

With the installation of the Roland MDX-540, this problem has been solved. Today, all students are taught to use the Rhinoceros CAD system, better known as Rhino. The ID students bring their ideas to the workshop in the form of 3D models saved as data on a USB key. The data is then processed by the computer and transformed into the final product by the MDX-540. The milling time varies depending on the size and intricacy of the design.

Safety First
In addition to its role as an educational tool, the MDX-540 provides an added measure of safety for students. Though the workshop has never experienced a major accident, Schneider is relieved that the ID students no longer have to make the very smallest models by hand. For Schneider, work safety is of vital importance. He has worked in the cabinetmaking field for 10 years and knows its dangers.

Working with the MDX.

Carl Schneider and the MDX-540 milling machine.

“We are fortunate that there have not been any serious accidents,” he said. “But something could easily happen. The students are not well experienced when they come into the workshop. With the MDX-540, we can be sure that no accidents will occur in the future.”

Design Requires Accuracy and Precision
In industrial design, precision milling is critically important – especially for smaller models. For a model to be of any value to a student, it has to be a complete, accurate replica of the original idea. The MDX-540 allows students to achieve the highest levels of accuracy and handles the precision milling for the entire class. As a result, ID students can concentrate on creating design concepts and developing them into CAD programs.

As with any new technology, the MDX-540 has impacted the craft of modeling in many ways. Though Schneider knows his students will not gain as much hands-on knowledge about the materials involved, they will gain valuable CAD experience instead. Their focus is shifting away from the craft itself toward the design aspect of the business.

Mastering the Technology
The MDX-540 has been operating at the Aarhus School of Architecture for three weeks now. Though Schneider and his colleagues have never worked with the software or the milling machine before, they are rapidly acquiring the knowledge and experience they need as the semester goes on. During this learning process, they have relied on Roland for support and guidance and have come to value this relationship.

The MDX-540 helps the Aarhus School of Architecture realize its primary objective: to give students the best education possible and to provide state-of-the-art tools that help them develop practical skills. Students take what they learn and apply it to their careers. When they leave the school, they are well prepared for the prospects and challenges ahead.