For some time, Render Labs has leveraged Ultimaker 3D printers to print models for their clients. With their operation having grown by 350% in the past 12 months, Render Labs has now added the Palette 2 Pro to their Ultimaker workflow in order to increase the number of colors they can print on their models to best meet their clients' goals.
Traditional 3D modelling for developers involved weeks of manual labour to create a static design. Render Labs has established itself as a trailblazer within the industry, being one of the first to adopt 3D printing effectively. By offering its clients an 85% reduction in lead times and a 60% reduction in costs while delivering more accurate and dynamic models, it has been able to grow its client base at an exponential rate.
Jeff So, one of Render Labs’ co-founders, has implemented Palette 2 Pro into the company’s workflow to provide vivid, realistic models to their clients in a fraction of the time and cost compared to their competitors. The ability to create models in multiple colors and materials has brought the Render Labs offering to a completely new level.
Changing the State of the Art
Render Labs primarily works with mid-sized real estate development companies that build condominiums in the Greater Toronto Area. These companies range from 10-50 employees, with projects that range up to 50 floors in size.
With over 70,000 condo units currently under construction in Toronto, the demand for faster, more reliable showroom model making services is ever growing. To date, companies have been making these models by hand: taking weeks to painstakingly carve out tables, chairs, and other pieces to represent the end design.
The industry has been using this manual approach for years, creating a barrier to change for Render Labs to overcome. Render Labs developed a method to remove the manual labour associated with this process by using 3D printers to create the model. They’re able to bring the lead time down from 2 weeks to 4 days, and based on the automation associated with 3D printing, bring the cost down by 60% for their customers.
Focusing on Quality
Render Labs uses a variety of 3D printers including various FDM and SLA machines. Based on the large build volume, ease of use, and unparalleled reliability of Ultimaker 3D printers, they find themselves using their Ultimaker 3 for most jobs. Ultimaker printers enabled Render Labs to break into the market - but they were limited in their ability to print fully realistic and representative models. As their business grew in size, more large-sized developers were approaching the company requesting full-color models.
‘We chose Mosaic’s Palette 2 solution based on its reputation, reliability, and ease of use’
Jeff, co-founder @ Render Labs
Render Labs wasted no time and immediately started fulfilling projects that required multi-color and multi-material models. Incorporating marble filament to represent countertops; woodfill to represent furniture; and various colors to represent other elements of condos has allowed Render Labs to provide more value to their customers. While most competitors offer single or dual-color models with no multi-color flexibility, Render Labs has greatly enhanced its value proposition to clients without having to make significant changes to their workflow or price.
Content Creation
The 3D modelling process starts with 2D drawings provided by developers which are then converted into 3D models by Render Labs using Solid Works.
Using Mosaic’s CANVAS Paint tool, Render Labs was able to quickly color different sections of the models, assigning them colors and materials. Canvas Paint has made it practical for Render Labs to add richer details to models including the coloring of handles, legs, and cushions on furniture for a more realistic look. By using CANVAS instead of a more complex program to segment models, Render Labs was able to streamline their software workflow and further cut down on their delivery time without incurring additional costs.
A Bright Future In Color
Render Labs is scaling up their production capacity in order to match the tidal wave of demand they are seeing across the US and Canada for their services. The company has charted out a path to become the market leader in the turn-key showroom models space and is well on their path to getting there.
Want to learn more about how you can use Palette 2 in your design process? Email us at direct@mosaicmfg.com!