3D Modeling

For all types models and prototypes to be made ONE OFF requires the client to provide the 3D file in order to reduce time, costs and eliminate potential misunderstandings. All file formats of the most common 2D and 3D CAD software are acceptable. There are a few simple rules to be considered during the 3D modeling phase that reduce corrective measures during the pre-production phase.

Acceptable file formats: *.igs, *.stl, *.dxf, *.dwg, *.3dm, *.stp,* .3ds, *.lwo, *.raw, *.mgx, *.skp

Should the 3D file not be available, ONE OFF can provide support for constructing CAD models, correcting available files and creating 3D mathematical models from 2D files or hard copy drawings.

1. Architectural Models

To request a quote please submit:

The purpose of model: e.g. presentation, sales office, marketing, exhibition etc.
Visual references of similar models (see our models on flickr).
The scale.
Ground Floor Plan of the project indicating only the overall area or outside dimension.|
Presentation rendering of the project.
3D Model.

3D file requirements for creating an architectural model:

The 3D model should be a true representation of what is effectively expected, with a level of detail that is adequate to the scale of representation.
The file should be created in layers, according to materials, groups, elements, areas etc.
Details and finishes to be etched (e.g. flooring, window frames etc.) should be provided in a 2D file.

2. Mockups

To request a quote please submit:

The purpose of the mockup: e.g. presentation, photo-shoot, etc.
The scale.
Presentation rendering of the project.
3D Model.

3D file requirements for creating a mockup:

True representation of the model.
The file should be created in layers, according to materials, colours etc.

3. Laser Cutting

To request a quote:

To use our laser cutting service please provide a file with a drawing of the pieces to be cut and etched, set in an area with overall dimensions not exceeding 1590 x 1990 mm and a maximum material thickness of 20 mm.
The materials to be used (Card, Cardboard, Fabric, Leather, Plywood, Wood, Plexiglas, Methacrylate, Petg, Styrene etc.) are normally supplied by the client.

Materials:

Materials for cutting: plastics, acrylics, wood, fabric, leather, paper, cardboard
Materials for engraving: plastics, acrylics, wood, fabric, leather, paper, stone.
Organic materials: acrylic resins, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, natural and synthetic rubber, PVC, wool, cotton, leather, wood.
Inorganic material: glass, ceramic, quartz, alumina, mica, natural rock

2D file requirements for laser cutting:

The file should include separate layers for for laser cutting and engraving, specifying the type of material and thickness.
The parts to be cut should be drawn with a minimum distance of 2 mm between each one.
Avoid duplicate lines or superimposed lines.
Create separate files according to type and thickness of material: each file should contain pieces to be cut and engraved in the same material and the same thickness.
Acceptable file formats: *.3dm, *.dwg, *.dxf, *.ai, *.pdf.

Once files have been checked a quote will be provided. Following client acceptance of the quote, ONEOFF guarantees delivery within 24/48 hours.

4. Rapid Prototyping

To request a quote please submit:

The purpose of the prototype: e.g. to check dimensions, ergonomics, mechanics, presentation etc.
Modeling technique and materials required, if known.
The 3D file of a 1:1 scale of the prototype in millimetres.

3D file requirements for creating a prototype:

Create a true representation of the model, avoiding discontinuous or overlapping surfaces (use the appropriate snap fixings during assembly phase).
Create the 3D file of the object ensuring it is manifold: it cannot include surfaces that do not have a thickness.
Ensure that thicknesses of >=1mm are given to gaps, joints and shadowlines so that they are clearly marked and consistent.
Wherever possible avoid thicknesses of less than 1.5 mm: where this is not possible please flag these before requesting a quote.
Organise model construction in layers so that unnecessary references (centrelines, construction lines, profile references etc.) can be eliminated during production.
Provide a 2D dimensioned drawing as size reference.

5. CNC Milling

To request a quote:

To use our CNC milling services please submit 3D file of a 1:1 scale of the model in millimetres. Maximum work area is 990x1490mm, and maximum height is 300 mm.
Specify the purpose of the piece: e.g. verification of dimensions, ergonomics, mechanics etc.
Indicate the required material, if known.

3D file requirements for CNC milling:

Create a true representation of the model, avoiding discontinuous or overlapping surfaces (use the appropriate snap fixings during assembly phase).
Create the 3D file of the object ensuring it is manifold: it cannot include surfaces that do not have a thickness.
Ensure that thicknesses of >=1mm are given to gaps, joints and shadowlines so that they are clearly marked and consistent.
Wherever possible avoid thicknesses of less than 1.5 mm: where this is not possible please flag these before requesting a quote.
Organise model construction in layers so that unnecessary references (centrelines, construction lines, profile references etc.) can be eliminated during production.
Provide a 2D dimensioned drawing as size reference.

Architectural Models

The digital management of information has changed the world of design and architecture. The onset of this technology has transformed the way designers work and has seen the rise of a generation of digital craftsmen.
Craftsmen who are able to understand a new language, use technology in a quick and flexible way and introduce themselves into the production flow optimising timeframes, minimising errors and thus reducing the production costs of architectural models.
ONEOFF helps create this extraordinary direct link between idea, sketch, 3D digital drawing and physical model, producing unique and highly accurate architectural scale models with great communicative power, in extraordinarily reduced timeframes. 

ONEOFF uses the mathematical model as the true raw material, the starting point from which all kinds of technologies, materials and results are possible.
For maximum optimisation of time and costs, the 3D file should be supplied by the client. Where this is not possible ONEOFF can provide design and modeling support services, creating CAD drawings based on the client’s idea, modeling 3D files from 2D drawings or physical drawings, or by correcting existing files.
We use CAD solid/surface modeling software: 3D Rhinoceros, ProEngineer etc; and *.stl file management (Magics) which detects all file formats from the most common 2D and 3D modeling software.

//4Digital Culture

Scale architectural models provide the physical representation of a project as a fundamental support to marketing and communication activities.
ONEOFF creates architectural and urban planning models of any size, complexity and material starting from a 3D file supplied by the client. And turning them into exact reproductions, unique pieces with a high technological content and craftsmanship.
The blend of techniques and materials means that highly original and interesting results can be obtained with extremely high levels of precision and contained production times even for the most complex tasks.

Architectural models vs Reality

Scale 1:1 /1:50       

Architectural Scale 1:50 /1:500

Urban Planning Scale 1:500 /1:2000

Territorial Scale 1:2000 / 1:10000

Prototypes and Mockups 

ONEOFF creates models, prototypes and mockups for industry, for the world of design and communication: conceptual models, evaluation prototypes, technical prototypes, end production pieces or small batch productions. 
In its workshop ONEOFF creates models, prototypes and mockups from 3D and 2D files using the best suited technology for the client’s requirements: rapid prototyping, laser cutting, CNC milling, photo-etching or even a combination of technologies.

The possibility of combining any of the technologies available in-house means we are able to choose the best solution to satisfy the client’s requirements in terms of time frame, cost and quality.

Rapid Prototyping (RP) means objects with a complex geometry can be produced in a short time directly from the mathematical model of the object to be created, using a 3D CAD system and without the need for manual tools. 
Traditional technologies such as milling machines or numerically controlled machines allow us to create objects in all kinds of materials.

Laser Cutting

ONEOFF provides the know-how and technical support for vector and raster laser cutting and engraving.
Possible applications are cutting, etching and engraving.
Management of the laser source, as for the 3D source files, is carried out with a SW CAM interface which also manages the entire process parameters including power, frequency and speed, and can import information from most of the most widely used CAD formats.

Materials used for cutting: plastic, acrylic, wood, fabric, leather, paper. 
Materials used for engraving: plastic, acrylic, wood, fabric, leather, paper, stone. 
Organic materials: acrylic resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, natural and synthetic rubber, wool, cotton, leather, wood. 
Work Area Y-X (mm): 1600x2000. Maximum thickness of the material: 4 cm. 

Main advantages: narrow, parallel cutting edges, highly reduced thermal changes, absence of contact between object and tool, possibility of application on complex profiles with minimal radiuses, no mechanical distortion, cutting can be undertaken regardless of hardness of material, cutting can be undertaken even on materials with a superficial coating, can be easily integrated into automated systems with the possibility of adapting according to changes in production requirements. 

Main characteristics: high cutting speed, negligible quantity of material removed / reduced production waste / laser cutting ensures a highly accurate finish with no additional sanding or polishing required on the cut edges.

ONEOFF uses a vector and raster laser cutting and engraving system, with a sealed CO2 source.
The cutting process follows the path of a vector drawing. Engraving is a process in which localised energy is emitted in order to permanently alter the surface of a given material. As in cutting, this process too is controlled by a digital file. In engraving however a raster (image) file can also be used. In this case it is the machine’s management software that determines the grey scale, to which it assigns different values of engraving intensity. The high-definition of engraving and durability in time are the primary characteristics of this application.

3D Printing
Rapid Prototyping 

3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping (RP) are based on a technology that allows for objects with a complex geometry to be created in a short time frame and without the need for manual tools, directly from the mathematical model created with 3D CAD software. Rapid prototyping is an effective way of saving overall time and money in the development a project by reducing potential errors and hence the number of prototypes needed during the design stage.
ONEOFF, uses the main systems of additive manufacturing technology for rapid prototyping, which allow for extraordinary results and vast potential. ONEOFF embraces the concept of Digital Culture to it its fullest, combining design, production and interaction design skills to create any kind of product or prototype.

ONEOFF, with consolidated expertise built in over ten years experience and experimentation in the field of 3D Printing Milano and Rapid Prototyping Milano, creates prototypes using the most innovative and consolidated additive manufacturing technologies on the market:  

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
This technology uses a laser to locally fuse and bind each layer within a sealed environment that is heated to a temperature of approximately 185°C.
Material used for this technique is white powdered polyamide (nylon).
Thanks to the construction method support mechanisms are not required, since the powder bed serves as an in-process support structure for the model.
This technology is generally suitable for models with good mechanical properties that do not require post-production finishing. Particular care must be taken during the cooling process of the prototype since shrinkage tends to be difficult to control.

Stereolithography (SLA)
This technology polymerises, and therefore solidifies, layers by means of a laser beam.
It uses white or translucent liquid epoxy resins (photopolymers) which are instantly cured (solidified) by a laser.
To support the model within the vat, special support structures are created at the same time as the prototype and using the same material. The results are good quality and compact surface finishes that allow for details that can be easily varnished. It also produces good mechanical features that “simulate” definitive materials.
The process does not require heat and therefore shrinkage is limited and easily controlled.

Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)
In this case layers are generated by extruders that transport the material to the fusion point, before depositing it.
Materials to be deposited are standard polymers which are fed to the extruders in the form of white thermoplastic filaments.
During construction phase the 3D printer uses extruder heads to deposit removable support structures that are necessary to support the prototype.
The combination of this technology and thermoplastic materials ensures high mechanical qualities and allows for details that can be easily varnished. Prototypes created with FDM technology also have significant dimension stability.

PolyJet (Objet)
This technology deposits layers through a series of printhead nozzles that locally release a white photopolymer liquid onto a work surface on which UV lamps instantly cure the deposited material ensuring a high dimensional stability with details that can be easily varnished. In addition to the material chosen for the prototype, the 3D printer also deposits a gel-like support material where needed for complex shapes or overhangs. The gel is easily removed by hand or with water.
The system of depositing material through printhead nozzles allows for extremely high resolution (600Dpi) though with limited mechanical features. It is ideal for small prototypes with high levels of detail such as jewellery and small components.

All these techniques work on the notion of layers, differing mainly in terms of the materials used, the physical principles exploited and the purpose of the prototype. 

... And the human touch?

In Rapid Prototyping professional know-how and support is applied in two distinct phases: pre-production and post-production.

During pre-production the CAD file is evaluated and the geometry of the mathematical model is checked. The time required for this process is difficult to quantify beforehand as it depends entirely on the software used and the precision with which the mathematical model has been generated. The model is translated into an STL file, which describes it as a mesh of perfectly closed triangles (a kind of skin that covers the entire volume of the object). The mesh must not have any gaps, overlaid triangles, or be made of triangles that are too big, resulting in faceted rather than curved surfaces. The files must be checked by professionals with expertise in a wide range of 3D modelling software and the ability to identify any anomalies.
Another important aspect is the nesting phase (positioning in the machine). This ensures that the resulting object has an optimal shape and structure.

Post-production involves drying, resin treatments, sanding and any other required surface treatments of the model. This phase requires the more traditional model-making manual expertise of the skilled craftsman.

CNC High Speed Milling Machine

ONEOFF accentuates CNC milling potential thanks to an in-depth knowledge of digital technology and is able to satisfy all requirements, from design to industrial prototyping and architecture. 
ONE OFF can create models and prototypes for a whole range of purposes, using 2D or 3D CAD files.
Unlike rapid prototyping (RP), CNC milling works through material removal and can be used for simple as well as highly complex types of modelling.

ONEOFF is equipped with the most innovative and productive machinery and management software and is therefore able to satisfy all requirements, from design to industrial prototyping and architecture.
Starting with (2D or 3D) CAD drawings or point coordinate files, we create models for evaluating aesthetics, design development and ergonomics, prototyping, production and creation of moulds, engraving and relief work, urban planning and architectural maquettes.
>> more information

CNC Milling can be used on all kinds of materials including MFW white polystyrene, acrylic blocks and sheets, solid wood, and polymerized polyurethane resin sheets.

Technical features
High speed, 3-axis milling machine with vertical spindle for moulds and models. High frequency spindle with automatic tool change and speed regulation from 6000 to 24000 rpm with integrated electronic inverter. 

Working Area   X-Y-Z (mm): 990x1490x300;
Resolution   X 0.61µ Y 0.17µ Z 0.61µ
Precision of positioning   0,01 mm

About

Starting from the end of the last century the concept of mass production became synonymous with homogenisation and the denial of the individuality of the consumer.
ONEOFF interprets this need to elaborate new, flexible productive processes that can provide both designer and consumer with greater freedom in the development of the shape and characteristics of the finished product. Complying with these needs, industry is once again turning to craftsmanship, developing new technologies that are able to combine the characteristics of handcrafts with those of the industrial productive process.

The kind of craftsmanship promoted by ONEOFF is a technological craftsmanship that uses sophisticated machinery controlled by software that can bring together the complex formalisation of digital design with the instinctiveness of the act of making, while reducing the production time required for industrial manufacture.
ONEOFF effectively adopts rapid manufacturing because it is able to take advantage of all the potential of digital design applied to production.

ONEOFF Lab 

Technology for Rapid Manufacturing

ONEOFF is the archetype of a new generation digital craft workshop and exemplifies the true potential of digital technology applied to rapid manufacturing.
ONEOFF Lab for architectural and industrial models was founded ten years ago, taking its first steps in a new and mesmerising world in which highly detailed information and mathematical coordinates are elaborated by a computer and used to build models and prototypes using both CNC and RP machinery.
This direct link between idea, sketch, virtual computerised model and actual physical model is extraordinary and can occur, where required, within timeframes and costs that, even just five years ago, were completely unimaginable.
ONEOFF helps create a direct link between project, model and industrial reality, a pivotal point from where it is possible to verify the effectiveness of the electronic information used to manage the entire industrial process.

Since

ONEOFF was founded in 2003 in Milan as a rapid prototyping workshop creating replicas, functional prototypes and architectural models with particular focus to the world of design and architecture, having secured a production workshop space at La Fabbrica del Vapore, following a highly competitive selection process.

ONEOFF at La Fabbrica del Vapore
Bringing together through sharing and training

Digital Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship and digital culture create an apparently contradictory combination, but which can in fact become an incredible drive for innovation.
What does it mean today for ONEOFF to be a digital craftsman? 
It means understanding that, in reality, digital culture is more of a manual culture than an industrial one. Industrial culture first and foremost looks at productivity, whereas the objective of an artisan is to complete an object, restore it or repair it. 
In digital crafts the starting points are software, contents, interfaces and sensors: for ONEOFF these are the digital raw materials that must be shaped, moulded, contextualised and integrated. 
The concept of seduction is also linked to the concept of sedating a ‘magical’ idea such as the digital one. These are activities that involve interaction between material, shape and processes that are deeply linked to the culture of handcrafts: a culture in which every context is unique.

For ONEOFF the digital material is the means of communication that interfaces with all the productive technologies available, from rapid prototyping to CNC milling, to laser cutting, to photo-etching or other more traditional techniques.
The same digital material can be used both as instruments and products for communication or visual arts. Linking 3D files to concepts of interaction design or project mapping is one of the latest aspects of this revolution.

The generative use of digital technology is made possible thanks to the interaction between craftsmanship, the hacker culture and the web.
The hacker culture presents human labour as something creative, playful and generous. The desire to contribute to global knowledge goes beyond personal objectives (and any associated opportunities for profit) and tends to have a more emotional approach to the world of creative work. A kind of deeply-felt mission with the aim of helping to build a “better world”. 
The web allows access to resources, time and shared ideas: a global resource where one can associate new forms of participation and new forms of production such as crowd sourcing.  Clay Shirky, lecturer at New York University, reflects on this kind of “cognitive surplus” defining it as a vital, emerging strength that can collect delocalised and fragmented knowledge and put it together into something new and useful for the community.
Another interesting analogy between the craft culture and information technology is the concept of repairing (maintaining). In fact creating and repairing are one and the same thing and only those who can do both can see beyond the components of an object and capture the overall aim and coherence of a technique. 

In an artisan’s workshop production, research and learning have always merged.
This has resulted in a natural interaction between art, technology and manual skills, giving rise to extraordinary and innovative creative products. A workshop is also a showcase, a commercial environment, a place where interaction with the client-consumer takes place. The craftsman is re-examining his relationship with tradition and innovation and the link between craftsmanship and technology is today much stronger than one imagines. 
The digital world has an intrinsically transformative root and is hence potentially generative. This is both because it is a fundamental lever for changing context (automation of procedures, connecting remote places, increase in the capacity to calculate and store information, synchronization of unrelated activities) and because it modifies the user, at times increasing his potential and freeing him from the limitations of context.
The open source movement and the simultaneous standardisation of interfaces has created a boom in “digital raw material” with high potential and contained costs which the craftsman can then intervene on, to adapt and personalise. 
Furthermore, the growing environmental awareness that looks with concern at waste and is aware that the world’s resources are ending, increasingly considers the concepts of recycling and re-using of paramount importance.

Because of its extreme dynamism, its capacity to capture and spread innovation, its ability to transform ideas into hugely successful projects that operate locally but which compete on the global market, the digital world allows another important competitive factor to be put into context: the concept of company size.
A craftsman with the ability of using digital technology and combining it in different ways, results in a reality with no limits to its applications where any kind of prototype or product can be created. If it has the ability to manage digital material and use the resources that the web offers, a small-scale workshop can today compete on a technological level with large-scale industrial realities.
One no longer speaks of digital craftsmanship but of DIGITAL CULTURE, where different skills can interact simultaneously and, by using the same source, can create virtual and real products, suitable for industrial, relational, musical or visual implementation. The true revolution is to be able to employ digital information and channel it according to specific needs, whether virtual or real, visual or productive.

ONEOFF is part of this movement and is helping develop it.

TEAM

Founding Partners: Arch. Maurizio Meroni e Ing. Costanza Calvetti

Work with us

If you are interested in joining the ONEOFF team send us your resume. Should there be any suitable openings we will contact you to arrange an interview aimed at evaluating skills, potential and compliance with the values of our team of Milano model-makers.

All resumes submitted will be archived and stored in our database in compliance with existing policies on privacy. Send your CV and portfolio (preferably in .pdf format) to info@oneoff.it specifying the reason for contacting us in the subject matter, and including a photo and authorisation to process personal information in accordance with the Legislative Decree n. 196/03 (Data Protection Law) or alternatively fill out the form below.

send your request

ONEOFF

Via Guido Capelli 12
MILANO, 20126
Italy
t. +39 02 36517890

Appointment and material withdrawal time:
Monday – Friday: 9:00 / 12:00 – 14:00 / 17:00