R-WORLD

Creative Progress - School of Art, School of Life


PALERMO, ITALY – The School of Art of Palermo (Italy) was founded in 1885 and has since educated generations of craftsmen, artists and professionals involved in pictorial and plastic decoration, cabinet making, and the design and manufacturing of metals.

Recently, the school has focused on acquiring new technologies to help further the creative progress of its students. Among the new courses offered, The School of Art of Palermo has set up a lab for rapid prototyping.

The drinking cup takes shape thanks to Roland MDX-650 technology
The drinking cup takes shape thanks to Roland MDX-650 technology
To equip the lab, the school reviewed various prototyping devices and opted for the Roland MDX-650. “It offers the right features for our students,” said Renato Alessi, the school’s 3D modelling teacher. “These features include milling speeds that keep pace with classroom requirements, pinpoint accuracy, and quiet operation which allows students and teachers to concentrate on other tasks. Most importantly, the Roland MDX-650 offers tremendous versatility. It’s a great instructional tool.”

Thanks to the Roland MDX-650 and the creativity of students and teachers, the school has completed several major projects since adopting the technology in 2005.

The finished drinking cup
The finished drinking cup
One of the two watches produced with the Roland MD-650 – and a lot of creativity
One of the two watches produced with the Roland MD-650 – and a lot of creativity

The first course was offered during the 2005 – 2006 school year on crafting watch designs. Twelve projects were completed during the course and two of the designs were produced as fully functioning watches. Other designs were showcased as prototypes in an exhibition at the Archaeology Museum Antonio Salinas in Sicily.

The class exhibited its work once again in 2007, this time in collaboration with the Archaeology Museum “Antonio Mormino” of Palermo at the prestigious “Vinitaly” exhibition held in Verona. The administrator of the event asked students to use the MDX-650 to recreate drinking cups in the style of those used by ancient Greeks, with a sixteenth-century Kantaros as a model. After scanning the object, the students proceeded to create the prototype using the Roland MDX-650.

“Reproducing works of art is an interesting application for rapid prototyping with great potential to teach us all about past cultures,” Alessi stated.

“Thanks to MDX-650,” he continued, “our students have become highly proficient in many new technologies. These new technologies are very important to have in schools as they enrich students with innovative knowledge that prepares them for the future.”

A Roland DG Publication | Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved. Q1/Q2 2008 | Issue No. 5 | The Roland DG Global Network