Nagano, Japan, April 26, 2023
(Headquarters: Tomi-city, Nagano, Japan; President: Kazuaki Ikeda) Mimaki, manufacturer of industrial inkjet printers, cutting plotters, and 3D printers, will participate in 3D printer exhibitions held in May and June 2023 in four countries around the world. With the cooperation of Autodesk, Inc. Mimaki will present how to bring 3D data from the design, engineering, and entertainment industries to life by utilizing Autodesk software and Mimaki’s full-color 3D technology.
Autodesk is a leading provider of design software for the Media & Entertainment, Product Design & Manufacturing, and Architecture, Engineering, & Construction industries. By combining Autodesk's widely used software with Mimaki’s 3D printers, the "3DUJ-553" and "3DUJ-2207", which are capable of producing full-color models in more than 10 million colors using the UV-cured inkjet method, 3D data can be brought to the real world in full color.
At this year's exhibitions, Mimaki will present a full-color world created with Autodesk software and Mimaki 3D printers through a variety of exhibits, including
- Media & Entertainment
Character design for games and animations by Nilian Studios (Canada), utilizing Autodesk software with Mimaki’s 3DUJ-553 and 3DUJ-2207 for the production and presentation of original figures. - Product Design & Manufacturing
Product design by Autodesk’s Boston Technology Center (USA). Visualization of the internal structure of a generative designed brake pedal for Stewart-Haas Racing, an American stock car racing team, 3D printed using Mimaki's 3DUJ-553. - Architecture, Engineering, & Construction
Civil engineering design models by Fukken Co., Ltd (Japan), promoting solutions to issues faced by the construction industry through integrated 3D data management using Autodesk's BIM/CIM software and promotion of digital transformation. Civil engineering models are printed on Mimaki's 3DUJ-553 to build consensus with residents and other stakeholders.
Mimaki will be presenting the Autodesk x Mimaki Full-Color World at the following exhibitions in 2023
- RAPID+TCT 2023 (Chicago, USA) May 2nd~4th
- Rapid Tech 3D (Erfurt, Germany) May 9th~11th
- EDIX Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan) May 10th~12th
- TCT 3SIXTY 2023 (Birmingham, England) June 6th~8th
- Next Generation 3D Printer Exhibition / Japan Manufacturing World (Tokyo, Japan) June 22nd~24th
Figure 1．Exhibitions to be held in spring 2023
Mimaki Engineering has a management vision centered on delivering "something new, something different." Mimaki is committed to being a forward-thinking, development-oriented organization that consistently pursues new technological breakthroughs and generates fresh value for its customers.
Case Studies
1. Media & Entertainment Industry: Figure Production for Games and Animation
Nilian Studios brings scenes from their own animation and games into the real world!
＜Nilian Studios leverages Autodesk software and the Mimaki 3DUJ-553 to create original figures, allowing for small scale production and new ways to present projects＞
3DUJ-553 Case Study: Nilian Studios (Ontario, Canada)
Nilian Studios produces high quality 2D and 3D animation and concept designs for a range of clients, captivating viewers of all ages. They have also been developing their own IP for both games and animated series’. The company uses Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max in every stage of the production process, from early animatics to 3D modeling, texture mapping, rigging, animation, and final rendering.
For the first time, Nilian utilized the 3DUJ-553 to create full-color 3D prints of characters taken directly from their games and animations (Fig. 2.3.4).
Small-scale production of such figurines usually involves either manual clay modeling or 3D printing in a single material, both of which necessitate manual coloring in the post-processing stage. When mass producing, a production line with an expensive molding and coloring process is required. Utilizing a mass-production system requires the manufacturing of thousands of units and months of lead time.
The Mimaki 3DUJ can reproduce complex features and highly detailed colors from 3D data, allowing small-lot production at a reasonable cost and short delivery time, a difficult task to achieve with other production methods.
Ali Chenari, Creative Director and Founder of Nilian Studios, describes how he felt when he first saw the full-color 3D printed characters designed by his studio. “I’m so excited to see our characters come to life! A full-color 3d print gives us a better vision of the merchandising possibilities of our product by bringing our digital assets into the real world. It will also help us showcase our characters to our clients, making it possible for us to send them actual models when it comes to pitching an idea. This will allow producers to understand the character’s potential for an animated series or game project and NFT creators to see the power in having a physical asset associated with the NFT.”
“Using prints like this will also assist us internally in the game and animation pipeline. Printing full-color data in early design stages could give us a faster and more accurate vision of how we can finalize the characters.”
Yokoseki from Mimaki's global marketing department proposes the utilization of full-color 3D printers, even for individual 3D modelers who find it difficult to purchase a 3D printer. "The 3DUJ series has already been introduced to 3D printing service companies around the world. By utilizing these services, it is possible to produce a single design and have it come to life, providing opportunities to use it for merchandising, presentations, and other purposes."
Figure 2: Trailer video for the game "Dark Glamor" produced by Nilian Studios.
Figure 3. Character model from "Dark Glamor" (Left: 3D data Right: 3D printed)
Figure 4. 3D model of a character from Nilian’s IP animation (Left: 3D data Right: 3D printed)
2. Product Design and Manufacturing: Product design model for communication and visualization
Stewart-Haas Racing partners with Autodesk to accelerate with Fusion360 generative design technology!
＜Autodesk uses the Mimaki 3DUJ-553 to visualize the internal structure of a proposed brake pedal＞
3DUJ-553 Case Study: Autodesk Boston Technology Center (Boston, USA)
Automotive racing teams are constantly looking for new design and production techniques to improve the safety, performance, and weight reduction of their cars in order to win more races. Stewart-Haas Racing partnered with Autodesk to reduce the weight of their brake pedal, one of the most important components of top driver Cole Custer's Ford Mustang, using Fusion360's "generative design" feature.
Generative design is a design exploration process that utilizes artificial intelligence. Designers set parameters such as function, space requirements, materials, manufacturing methods, and cost, along with design goals, and Fusion360 quickly generates design alternatives, guiding them through possible solutions. The software can then iterate through the testing process, learning "which design alternatives will succeed, and which will fail" to arrive at the optimal solution. (Figure 5)
As a result, the brake pedal’s new design reduced weight by 32% and increased stiffness by 50%, provided that it could withstand braking actions equivalent to 3000 laps of a driving course (Figure 6). It was manufactured using a metal 3D printer after support material placement and slicing were also complete using Fusion360.
Autodesk printed a model of the above brake pedal on the Mimaki 3DUJ-553 at its Technology Center in Boston to visualize the complex internal structure of the final metal part (Figure 7). The data was repaired using Netfabb Premium, which is compatible with the Mimaki 3DUJ series 3D printers.
Autodesk commented “For visualization, you can section the model in the software or show it with transparency on-screen. However, a physical model is best for comprehension, with the parts separated through clear and color material.”
Matthew, a member of Mimaki's Global Marketing Department, discusses how software like Fusion360 is revolutionizing the way designers approach their work. With this technology, designers can accomplish a variety of functional goals, such as automatically generating intricate geometries that were previously thought impossible. In order to effectively convey the significance and physical aspects of these designs, visual mockups like this brake pedal, can be incredibly useful. These mockups not only aid the designer, but also help all parties involved, especially during internal and external presentations, to better understand the project. Currently, the only practical way to create a physical model like this is through full-color 3D printing.
Figure 5: Proposed brake pedals using generative design
Figure 6: Actual brake pedal adopted from the generative design proposals
Figure 7. Model for the visualization of internal structures printed on the Mimaki 3DUJ-553 (Left: 3D printed model Right: Printing with Mimaki using Netfabb Premium)
3. Architecture Engineering and Construction: Models for Civil Engineering and Architectural Design
Fukken Co., Ltd. is committed to solving issues faced by the construction industry through integrated management of 3D data and the promotion of digital transformation through BIM/CIM.
＜Mimaki 3DUJ-553 was installed and is being used to build consensus with residents and other interested parties through the use of civil engineering models＞
3DUJ-553 Case Study: Fukken Co., Ltd.
Recently in the Japanese construction industry, there is an urgent need to improve the working environment by "solving labor shortages," "reducing long working hours," and "securing a workforce," thus reviewing the overall production system using digital technology has become an issue. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism is actively driving the digital transformation of infrastructure in the construction industry. They are prioritizing the utilization of data and digital technology to revamp operations, organizations, processes, and working styles. The ultimate goal is to enhance public awareness of infrastructure and ensure a safe, secure, and prosperous life for all.
To effectively drive digital transformation, it is crucial to introduce and train employees in the implementation of BIM/CIM (Building Information Modeling/Construction Information Modeling). This system allows for the sharing and management of information through 3D data among all parties involved in each stage of the process, including planning, surveying, designing, constructing, managing, and maintaining. Therefore, the implementation and development of a system that emphasizes the use of 3D data for information sharing and management is of utmost importance. (Figure 8)
Fukken Co., Ltd. is a construction consulting firm that has been actively promoting digital transformation since 2013, when it established a "CIM Promotion Office." In January 2022, the company became the first among its peers to receive Digital Transformation Certification from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The company uses Autodesk's AEC Collection as its BIM/CIM software. It also utilizes the Mimaki 3DUJ-553 full-color 3D printer to produce models from the 3D data it has designed.
According to a representative at Fukken Co., Ltd, "We looked at other BIM/CIM software companies, but Autodesk was attractive because of the ease of verifying models in a 3D space. The software has a wide range of functions, making it extremely versatile if you know how to use it. When a model is prepared in the planning and design stages of a construction project, it is especially useful in explaining the project to the residents of the surrounding area.”
“In 2021, we introduced the Mimaki 3DUJ-553, and are satisfied with its ability to express small details, which had been difficult with the plaster-based full-color 3D printer we had been using. On the 3DUJ-553, we can also cover small parts with clear ink to prevent them frombreaking.” (Figures 9, 10, 11)
Furthermore, they talk about their future prospects by saying “Because the 3DUJ-553 has high reproducibility of 3D scan data, it can also be applied to archiving, replicating, and producing miniatures of cultural assets and buildings scheduled for demolition. Owning a full-color 3D printer allows for such proposals and also becomes a status symbol for companies.”
Figure 8. Image of BIM/CIM advancement in the construction industry. *Information that has been managed in a fragmented manner by each of the parties involved can be linked to data, enabling the system to efficiently share and track changes and other information.
Figure 9. 1/1100 model of a highway design
Figure 10. 1/100 model of a coastal levee design
Figure 11. Briefing session for local residents using a model output by a 3D printer
Autodesk, Inc. (California, USA)
Business Content
Autodesk seeks to improve the way the world designs and manufactures. The company's software solutions span Architecture Engineering & Construction, Product Design & Manufacturing, and Media & Entertainment helping innovators in all fields solve challenges large and small. From green buildings to smart products to compelling blockbuster films, Autodesk software helps customers design and create a better world for everyone.
Nilian Studios (Ontario, Canada)
Business Content
Nilian Animation Studios is an animation-driven studio located in Toronto producing proprietary and service animations for various clients.
Ali Chenari (Creative Director and Founder) has worked in the animation industry for over 18 years as an art director and graphic illustrator. He was named "AREA Artist of the year" by Autodesk in 2021.
Autodesk software utilized
・Maya
・3ds Max
Autodesk software is used by Nilian Studios in all stages of animation production, from animatics in the conceptual stage, to 3D modeling, rigging, animation, and final rendering.
Stewart-Haas Racing (North Carolina, USA)
About the Stewart-Haas race team
Stewart-Haas Racing was founded in 2009 by NASCAR Hall of Fame members Tony Stewart and Gene Haas.
Prior to Stewart's arrival, Haas CNC Racing had been competing in NASCAR since 2002. The team has won two drivers' championships and 65 race victories.
Autodesk software used in the development of the brake pedal
・Fusion360 (design and verification)
・Netfabb Premium (data preparation software for 3D printing)
Fukken Co., Ltd. (Hiroshima, Japan)
Business Content
・Construction consulting and construction management services related to civil engineering projects
・Investigation, testing, measurement, and analysis of geology and soil
・Surveying of land, structures, oceans, and aerial photography, as well as compensation consulting services
・Investigation, planning, design, and supervision related to the environment
・Civil engineering construction, bridge, and well digging construction
・Labor dispatching services
・Leasing and rental services related to the aforementioned businesses
・All services related to the above items
Autodesk software utilized
AEC Collection
Software used in conjunction with 3D printing
・Civil3D (design)
・Infraworks (data integration)
About Mimaki Engineering
Mimaki Engineering develops, manufactures, sales, and maintains industrial inkjet printers, cutting plotters, 3D printers, inks, and software. By providing total solutions for the printing process for the sign graphics, industrial products, and textile apparel markets, we aim to be an innovator that constantly delivers "Something New, Something Different" to our customers.
Company/IR website: https://ir-eng.mimaki.com/
Product website: https://mimaki.com/
3D printer Products
3DUJ-553: https://mimaki.com/product/3d/3d-inkjet/3duj-553/
3DUJ-2207: https://mimaki.com/product/3d/3d-inkjet/3duj-2207/
Contact
MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
Global Marketing Department
1628-1 Shigeno-Otsu, Tomi-city, Nagano 389-0512 JAPAN
Tel: +81-(0)268-80-0078 / Fax: +81-(0)268-80-0041