Model Builders Inc Blog

"Objects of Design from the Museum of Modern Art" by Paola Antonelli is the fourth  book review of great product designs. Industrial designers created many of the objects here. This book was published in 2003 with color photographs by The Museum of Modern Art, New York. It is quite different from the MOMA's 1970 book "The Design Collection - Selected Objects" which showed objects in black and white with a label but little text.  Their design collection was established in 1934 and at the time of this latest book's publication had over 3,708 mass produced or homemade objects (although most in the collection are mass produced).

The MOMA design collection now is "a critical and exclusive assembly rather than encyclopedic and comprehensive. One of the leading characteristic's of the Museum's design collection is the idea that its design objects are part of larger visions within which they are best seen." The center of gravity of the MOMA design collection has begun to shift from the machine age to the digital age. Their challenge is to find what "objects most clearly tell us about ourselves, the culture that produced them, and the world in which we aspire to live." 

 Unlike the last three books reviewed "Objects of Design" has far more pictures of objects - 341 total and all in color.  The objects are grouped into nine thematic sections and each section has a separate author.

1. Turning Points.  Basically this covers the change to the point of view that art should be available to all in mass produced objects, organic and simple geometric forms without ornamentation and aesthetic abstraction. Otto Wagner, Gustav Stickley and Frank Lloyd Wright designed chairs, tables, silverware, etc. in the beginning period of modernism.

2. Machine Art. The Museum's 1934 exhibit "Machine Art" focused on the unintential beauty of these highly functional machine parts. The Bell 47-D1 Helicopter 1945 is one example.

3. A Modern Ideal. Works of art and and objects of design from Bauhaus studios and workshops from the 1920's on fit this theme. Eileen Gray's Adjustable Table 1927 and Tube Lamp 1940's, Le Corbusier's Chaise Longue and his Armchair1928, Marcel Breuer's Tea cart Model B54 1928 and Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Chair 1929 and Tugendhat coffee Table are some of the examples.

Marianne Brandt Table Clock 1930

 4. Useful Objects.  In 1938 the Museum worked with retailers to exhibit good designs that were affordable to the average consumer. The exhibit was called "Useful Household Objects under $5.00." This exhibit was shown in 7 cities in addition to New York City. Objects were chosen by their suitability of purpose, material and process of manufacture". The Useful Object exhibit was so successful that they repeated the tour for nine more years with new useful objects each year although the price gradually increased to $100.00 in 1947. In the objects "form and beauty follows function". Innovative functionality and integration of new materials like heat resistant Pyrex glass led to the glass frying pan and baking dish. Plastics revolutionized consumer products by the 1950's. Good useful design wasn't expensive and was available to everyone. Examples are the Electric Hairdryer 1928, Corning Glass Works Baking Dish 1949, LEGO Building Bricks 1954-1958, the Bic Cristal pen 1950 and Post-it Note 1977.

 Earl S. Tupper Pitcher and Creamer 1946

5. Modern Nature. Organic might be a way to describe this influence on designed objects. In part technology enabled a new relationship with materials and processes in creating objects. Thonet, Eames, Aalto, etc. explored new materials that led to new possiblities with designed objects, especially with curvy organic shapes

Alvar Aalto Vase (no. 3031) 1936 and Paimio Chair 1931-32

6. Mind over Matter.  Many new materials, mostly synthetics, were created during WWII and designers explored their possibilities which led to "new functions and applications and astonishlingly innovative forms." Plexiglas (introduced in 1936), polycarbonate and other plastics enabled designs that could be shaped and hardened to create continuous surfaces and curved surfaces without joints. Developments in plywood technology meant it could be formed into compound curves.  Later carbon fiber permitted even "thinner and lighter continuous-form objects without joints."

In 1995 the museum exhibition "Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design" explored this mind over matter relationship. A particular material could be shaped and used differently in products by the designer. Vernor Panton's Stacking Side Chair 1959-60 was the first chair cast in one piece and from a synthetic material (polyurethane plastic).  No assembly or hand labor was required.

7. Good Design. This theme covers the MOMA's series of Good Design exhibitions between 1950 and 1955. The idea was to influence wholesalers and manufacturers of consumer goods into thinking that there was probably a large market for well designed products. Objects featured here include Alvar Aalto's Tea Trolley 1936-37, Charles and Ray Ames Low Side Chair model LCM 1945, Eerp Saarinen's Tulip Armchair and Richard Sapper's Tixio Table Lamp 1971.

8. Good Design for Industry. As noted here many great industrial designs resulted from a close collaboration between the industrial designer and the manufacturer. MOMA exhibits that explored this topic first started in 1952 with "Olivetti: Design in Industry". Objects pictured in this thematic topic include Electric Kettle 1909, Minox Riga Camera 1936, Chemex Coffee Maker 1941, Kodak Carousel-S Slide Projector 1963, Dieter Rams Loudspeaker model LEi 1960, Swatch Jellyfish Watch 1983., Macintosh SE Home computer 1984, Apple G4-Cube Speakers 2000 and the Smart Car 1998.

9. The Object Transformed. The MOMA's 1966 exhibit "The Object Transformed" was mostly art works inspired by design objects like the Display stand for Oranges, the Malitte Lounge Chair, 1966, the 85 Lamps Lighting Fixture 1992 and the Honey Pop Armchair. They transform materials into functional objects in creative ways.

"Objects of Design" is a large book at 286 pages but it is an interesting interweaving of 9 themes that cover a century of products with plenty of color pictures and enough interesting text on well designed products to provide a comprehensive perspective on industrial designers and their products during the 20th Century. 

Do you have a favorite book on industrial design prototypes, products or designers? Please let us know by posting a comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

"Icons of Design The 20th Century" is the third book review of great product designs.  Industrial designers created many of the product designs in this book. There are 83 products selected and presented by 23 authors - only 5 of the authors are American and most of the rest are European. In the book's FOREWORD industrial designer and art historian Reyer Kras makes interesting comparisons between the Christian icon and the industrial icon.

Industrial Designer Kras also compares the shift within the past 10 years from the mechanical revolution to a new peak in a electronics revolution in the past 10 years. The way mechanical appliances operate has disappeared for many functions - "Certain functions...have dematerialized, vanished into the caverns of the chip, the hard drive and the digital network". His conclusion "This shift in technology has also impacted how industrial designers envision and shape electronically controlled products."

If the need to design the product - the image- disappears, will that be the end of this profession? Or will the designer be able to create an intangible context? In the future this is destined to pose one of the greatest challenges to the designer." In some ways this parallel's Jay Doblin's concern 30 or more years prior about the impact "that the combination of intellectronics and automation" would have. Maybe it is no coincidence that the Internet was the product selected for 1990 and the last product selected (for the year 2000) in "Icons of Design The 20th Century" is Virtual Reality.

The Savoy vase 1937 - Alvar Aalto - his most important contribution to 20th Century glass design and an early example of organic design.

First published in 2000 and again in 2004 this book has each object shown in color photographs with illustrations of its use. With most of the products there is a timeline description and small photograph of the designer along with a full page description of the history and significance of each product.

The format is quite similar to that of industrial designer Jay Doblin's 1970 book "One Hundred Great Product Designs". Both books are also in chronological order with the year they came out shown next to the product name. There are two pages on each product and one of the pages is a large picture (most are in color).

U.S. "Tunnel" Mailbox 1915

Designed by postal engineer Roy Joroleman to resolve a conflict between fiercely independent farmers and government regulators. This mandated galvanized sheet metal design is simple and functional.  The red flag lets the carrier know when to pick up mail. Formerly a variety of discarded containers served as mail boxes on rural routes. 

                                             Motorola MicroTAC 1989

The MicroTAC folding mechanism revolutionized the shape of cell phones

Some of the other great product icons in this book are:

Aircraft: Douglas DC-3 Dakota 1935 and Lockheed Super Constellation 1951.

Appliances: AEG Electric Kettle 1909 and Philips-Alessi Line (five kitchen appliances) 1996

Automobiles: Ford Model T 1908-1927, Bugatti 1926, Mercedes Silver Arrow 1934, Cord 810 1936, Fiat 500 Topolino 1936, Volkswagen Beetle 1938, Citroen 2CV, Chevrolet Corvette 1953 and Morris Mini 1959.

Cameras: Leica Camera 1913-1925, Kodak Baby Brownie 1934 and Minox Camera 1938.

China: Teaset 1934.

Home Entertainment: Braun Phonosuper SK4 1956, Sony Portable TV 80 301 in 1959, Brionvega Radio TS-502 in 1964, B&O Beogram 4000 in 1972, Sony Walkman 1979, Philips Compact Disc 1980, Tamagotchi (interactive computerized toy) 1996.

Typewriters: Underwood Typewriter No. 5 1900, IBM Selectric Typewriter 1961 and Olivetti Valentine Typewriter 1969.

Apple Macintosh 1984

A variety of other great products also were developed in the 20th Century -  Raleigh Safety Bicycle 1905, Coca Cola Bottle 1915, Rolex Oyster Watch 1926, Zippo Lighter 1933, Parker 51 Fountain Pen 1941,Vespa Motor Scooter 1946, Tupperware 1946, Rolodex Rotary Card File 1952, Harley Davidson "Easy Rider" 1969, In-Line Skates 1980 and other interesting choices in this book.  Overall "Icons of Design The 20th Century" is a nice update - with color pictures, about 30 more years of great products to our two earlier book reviews and with more of a European point of view.

 In-Line Skates 1980

The 4th and 5th books we review on the greatest product designs have a very different format. The 4th book has nine categories of products. The fifth book goes more extensively (about 5 pages each) into the development of each of about 35 products.

Do you have a favorite book on industrial design prototypes, products or designers? Please let us know by posting a comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

"The Design Collection Selected Objects" is the second book review of great product designs. Industrial designers created many of the objects here. This book was published in 1970 by The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Their design collection was established in 1934 and has over 1,800 mass produced or homemade objects. Some 125 of these are exhibited continuously and 85 are pictured in this book. The objects include Tiffany favrile glass vases, a 1932 heat-resistant all glass teapot, multi-colored glass tumblers, a silver and turquoise enamel jewel box, stackable tableware, stackable chairs, a coffee grinder, a desk fan and  other household items plus one random access control panel for the IBM 305 random access memory accounting machine from 1960.

The objects were "selected on the basis of their quality and historical significance to illustrate the development of design in the prior seventy-five years" by the museum Committee on Architecture and Design when Philip Johnson was the Chairman  and Arthur Drexler was the Director, Department of Architecture and Design.

Although not in chronological order each object description lists the year first produced. Like Jay Doblin's book there is one large picture of the object and a description. Unlike Doblin's book the description is very brief and there is no explanation of the significance of the object. There is only one page of general explanation by Arthur Drexler who views the objects as an archeologist might. Basically he says that the objects were made to serve a purpose" and "belong to the 2oth-century category, the "functional". They were not ends in themselves.

Some of the objects are both in this book and in Doblin's like the two chairs shown below as well as The Alvar Aalto Bent Plywood Chair 1934, The Eames Plywood Chair 1947, the Olivetti Lettera Typewriter 1950, the  Eames Lounge Chair 1957 and the Saarinen Stem Chair 1957. Unlike Doblin's book there are no automobiles, airplanes, helicopters and only a few electronic or mechanical devices.

 Marcel Breuer Side Chair 1928

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Chair 1929

 Portable Radio and Phonograph 1959 (Mfr. Braun)

Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Vacuum Cleaner 1956

Giuseppe de Goetzen Vacuum Brush 1955

David Gammon Turntable 1964 (Mfr. Transcripters, Ltd.)

Roy Richter and Frank Heacox Racing Driver's Helmut (Mfr. Bell-Toptex, Inc.)

"The Design Collection - Selected Objects" plus Jay Doblin's "One Hundred Great Product Designs" provide insight into the impact of industrial design in the 20th Century prior to 1970. Doblin's book however provides great written insight into the significance of each object in his book. 

An interesting side book to read from this era might be "California Design, 1930--1965: "Living in a Modern Way" edited by Wendy Kaplan.  It is based on a 2012 exhibit of the same name that originated at the Los Angles County Museum of Art. Charles Eames and other designers are featured.

Do you have a favorite book on industrial design prototypes, products or designers? Please let us know by posting a comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

"One Hundred Great Product Designs" by industrial designer Jay Doblin is the 1st of our 5 book reviews. Published in 1970 this book is a classic and sets the format for several similar books published later - products are in a chronological order, there is one large picture per product and there is a concise history of each product.

The Industrial Age resulted in thousands of products based on whatever the machinery could make efficiently. Industrial designers starting in the 20th Century managed to create a much smaller number of very carefully designed mass produced products. Henry Drefyus, Raymond Loewy, Norman Bel Gettes and other well known industrial designers were able to design the look of the future - often with streamlining and styling. In this book Jay Doblin takes us on a chronological journey of 100 great product designs from the 1742 Franklin Stove to 1965 Bell Trimline Telephone.

Jay Doblin went to Pratt Institute and was an executive designer with Raymond Loewy Associates from 1942 to 1955. For the next 14 years he was the director of the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology. This book is the result of 10 years of research by the faculty at IIT in an effort "to find out which product designs were considered "great", and why". Only mass produced items designed, manufactured and distributed for sale were considered.

Some of the 100 Great Product Designs are:

Aircraft: Douglas DC-3 Airliner 1934, #51 Beechcraft Bonanza 1947, Sikorski S-58 Helicopter 1949 and #96 Learjet 1963.

Appliances: #19 Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner 1918, #35 Coldspot Refrigerator 1937, #42 Chemex Coffee Maker 1941, #49 Thermador Built-in Oven 1946, #73 General Electric Wall-hung Refrigerator and Kitchen Center 1954, #81 Frigidaire Fold-back Surface Cooking Burners, 1955, #82 NuTone Built-in Mixer 1955, #84 Braun KM3 Kitchen Machine 1957, #86 Frigidaire Sheer Look Major Appliances 1957 and #89 Tappen 400 Range 1958.

Automobiles: #13 Rolls-Royce 1907, #14 Fort Model T 1908, #30 La Salle 1935, #32 Cord 810 1936, #36  Volkswagen 1937, #38 Lincoln Continental 1939, #43 Willy's Jeep 1941, #45 Cisitalia 1946, #54 Studebaker 1947, #55 MG Model TC 1948, #57 Porsche 3561952, #70 Studebaker 1953, #77 Citroen DS-19 1955 and #97 Ford Mustang 1964.

Cameras: #8 Kodak Brownie Camera 1900, #20 Leica Camera 1925, #32 Bolex H-16 Motion-Picture Camera 1936, #53 Hasselblad 500C and #57 Polaroid Land Camera 1948. 

China: #23 Arzberg China 1931, #33 American Modern Dinnerware 1937 and #44 Castleton Museum White Dinnerware 1946.

Typewriters: #29 Hermes Portable 1935, #63 Olivetti Lettera 1950 and #93 IBM Selectric 1961.

Industrial designer Jon W. Hauser from engineering firm Barnes & Reinecke updated the design and appearance of the Hough Payloader to reflect its superior performance. This proved that "integrated design and engineering could increase sales and pride of ownership in heavy-duty equipment."

Model Builders, Inc. was fortunate to work starting in 1950 with many notable industrial designers such as Jon W. Hauser, Raymond Loewy, Richard Latham and Dave Chapman.  One model we built was a 1/4 scale Hough Payloader that duplicated all the hydraulic actions of the front end loader by using minature cylinders and a new reversible pump unit.  The Hough Payloader model was a hit with potential customers at tradeshows and was written up in detail on two pages in the December 1956 issue of Applied Hydraulics magazine. Another project was creating two full size prototype seats and the custom ashtray prototypes for Raymond Loewy's Scenicruiser bus. The Greyhound logo and Scenicruiser bus are excellent examples of Loewy's styling and streamlining designs.

Doblin thought most of the current design then was "commercial and vulgar" but "the future had possiblities for excellence". He saw that the combination of what he called intellectronics and automation was producing abundant supplies with less labor and that cities were becoming centers of information handling, not manufacturing. Doblin included #87 the IBM RAMAC Computer 1957 with its disc storage in this book. He thought the computer would help man control increasingly complex systems and "result in a brighter, more rational world where cooperation replaces competition." Power would be based on knowledge and that would make education more important for everyone.

"One Hundred Great Product Designs" is a classic book that captures the impact that industrial designers made on mass produced products. The list first appeared on pages 135-141 of the April 1959 issue of Fortune magazine http://www.fulltable.com/vts/f/fortune/design/a.htm  along with a interesting explanation of how the list was selected. What makes this book exceptional is the carefully written explanation of the design significance of each product.

Do you have a favorite book on industrial design prototypes, products or designers? Please let us know by posting a comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Industrial designers hire a model shop or use an in-house model shop to build physical prototypes of new products and other ideas. Knowledge of prototyping, materials and manufacturing techniques enable the model maker to refine an idea from two dimensions into a physical model that turns that idea into a product.

Here are 8 reasons why industrial designers use model shops:

1) Reality. As stated on page 132 in the 1947 book "Design for Business" by J. Gordon Lippincott

  "Before any design goes into mass production, a full scale model should be made and, if at all feasible, an operating model.  The costs of tooling, merchandising and advertising are so great that any economies gained by skipping the model-making step are more than offset by the greater risk of producing an article that lacks consumer acceptance through failures in styling or function.

Renderings are particularly misleading and should serve only the function of stimulating new, fresh, creative thinking.  In other words renderings are only the expressions of the idea stage.  As soon as a proposed form for a new product has been selected, models should be produced - in full scale wherever possible or practical. Half and quarter-scale models are completely misleading because most people do not have the ability to appreciate changes in scale.  A molding on a quarter-scale model of a refrigerator may look perfectly satisfactory, but when the same design is enlarged to full scale, the molding will be completely out of proportion  - usually too large."

Raymond Loewy stainless steel ashtray prototype for the 1954 Greyhound Scenicruiser bus

2) Capability. The industrial designer usually needs a model maker that has a shop with a variety of capabilities including machining, rapid prototyping, woodworking and finishing work such as sanding and painting. The space, machinery and model making talent needed to produce the industrial designer's prototypes and appearance models are simply too expensive to do at the industrial designer's location unless there is a constant volume of work to do.

The larger industrial design firms like IDEO and large companies like Steelcase tend to have an in-house model shop to create prototypes and appearance models. However for peak loads of work, special expertise or equipment, and a short run of parts they may use an independent model shop.

3) Expertise in materials. Professional model makers know from practical experience what materials may best meet the demands of the designer's intentions and the conditions a product will face. 

RAYOVAC ROUGHNECK flashlight - adjusts from Spot to Flood

4) Speed. Initial prototypes may be quicker if made in thin acrylic or styrene with vacuum forming.  Rapid prototyping is also used to create quick prototypes once the computer CAD work is done.  Machining plastic or metal is often the best way to create the final model since there usually can be much finer detail, more durable material and less finishing work. 

5) Product development. The initial design is tested with potential customers to see how well the product design works. Sometimes the product when held doesn't feel balanced. Many prototypes may have to be built and tested sequentially with changes before the product is ready to sell in the marketplace. Design is a collaborative process and model makers help the industrial designer perfect his craft.

Bernard welding handle final prototype

6) Appearance. A passion to do finishing work, the right grit of sandpaper, the right primer, the right shade of paint, a gloss, semi-gloss or flat finish often determine the success of a new product. The texture and finish must be the same as the final product. We hired one model maker because he could produce a flawless high gloss black finish on a wood base 10" high X 48" X 96". Sometimes industrial designers specify a specific model maker because of his or her superior finishing work.

7) Testing. Sometimes a design looks good on paper but doesn't work right when a prototype is built. The best model makers have the mechanical and electrial skills to help solve those problems.

8) Imagination. You never know when someone else's imagination, expertise, experience or knowledge may improve a product design. Model makers at in-house shop usually have a great knowledge of a particular product's history and techniques that were used to make that type of product.

Independent model shops often have a broad range of experience and may bring in new ideas from their diverse experiences.  At our independent model shop we sometimes find ourselves delving into a dusty two volume set of books titled "Ingenious Mechanisms For Designers and Inventors" that was first published in 1930 with chapter titles like "Intermittent Motion" to create special mechanical motions for a new product. Mechanisms in this book have already passed two important tests - (1) these are designs of mechanisms that will function properly and (2) they are simplified designs which normally are less costly to manufacture and more durable. This is just one example of the resources and experiences that model makers have. Last week we found a new nanotechnology based consumer product that removes and then prevents fingerprints on stainless steel.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Quality craftsmanship is essential for a quality model, but it's not enough. The final result also depends on high quality research and planning, as John Into and Nancy Price point out in their book, "Fundamentals of Model Boat Building."

Quality always matters, but this is especially true for museum work.  Museum patrons expect authenticity, so that is a primary expectation for museum acquisition decisions, too. Curators look for quality in all three steps - research, planning and construction - and only then do they consider price and reliable on-time delivery. The same is true for any client that places high value on model quality.  Let's use boat models to illustrate the point.

River tugboat model

RESEARCH

Research is the first step and it often requires one-third or more of the total time to build a quality model. In many cases, the museum and the exhibit designer do not have detailed information on every element in their display and it is up to the model builder to ensure authenticity. Research like this is a particular strength for Model Builders, Inc. Often we have discovered original specifications unknown to museum personnel.

Research can be quite challenging. You may or may not be able to find a kit or detailed plans for the boat you are going to build. One difficulty is that if the boat model is a US Navy ship that is currently commissioned the policy of the US Navy is to not release any of the drawings. For ancient boats little information may exist.

You may have to work from a sketch or artist's illustration Unless you are willing to put in the hours necessary to search like an archeologist for as much relevant information on the boat as you can possibly find you probably won't be able to build a accurate boat model. If however you do the necessary research you often can find plans, pictures drawings and other information needed to build a quality model. Once in a while the real boat exists and you can do some research by going to see it.

There are a wide variety of sources for detailed plans, photographs, books, illustrations, magazine articles and other information on boats. The Hart Nautical Collection at MIT, the Mystic Seaport museum, the Smithsonian, the US Naval Academy museum, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum at Manitowoc and many other museums have real ships, scale model ships and boat plans. The Nautical Research Journal is an excellent magazine and starting in 2013 they are greatly expanding their coverage of model boat building.

I know of one model boat builder that builds limited edition boat models for collectors. He will only build that boat model edition if he has access to the original drawings of that boat. However working from all of the original drawings is a very time consuming and unless you can spread the cost over a limited edition (or a large production run for commercial kits) then the cost to build one boat for a museum might be too high for their budget. Many of the museums we have built boats for are looking for the highest quality model they can afford.

PLANNING

Research results normally shape the planning for the boat construction. If you have found detailed plans for the boat or a detailed kit model of the boat that will help minimize the planning time that would been taken up with creating scaled drawings based only on whatever other information you found.

You may have to design special jigs to accurately portray plank on plank construction. The Curator of the Navy checks the symmetry of the two sides of the hull to see if one side varies from the other. You may need to get or make special tools or jigs to keep both sides symmetrical. 

It takes a while to track down the expert boat modelers and historians for the specific boat you are building. Often they can be a very good source to find the right methods and steps to fabricate your boat. The Nauticaul Reseach Guild holds an annual meeting where you can meet some of the best boat modelers and historians. There are also many model boat building clubs around the country such as the Midwest Model Shipwrights which meets monthly. Several of their members have received awards in national model boat building contests.

CONSTRUCTION

Let's take a look at some of the boats models that we built for the Ft. Osage Museum in Sibley, Missouri.

Above are seven very different boat models. A variety of source information was used to build these boats - from kits to plans to just illustrations. The tugboat, LCT boat and Keel boat were built primarily from kits of varying quality. The keel boat kit we bought wasn't detailed enough so we studied photographs and illustrations to determine how to upgrade the model to a higher level of detail and more realistic looking materials. For the flatboat there were no plans or kits.  We studied illustrations, found the basic dimensions in literature and consulted with the museum. Collaboration among the model builder, the exhibit designer and the museum often results in a high quality at a reasonable price.

This flatboat model is not made out of wood. It is made out of ABS plastic that was painted to look exactly like wood by a very artistic model builder. It will last much longer than wood construction.

This World War II LCT (landing craft boat) is built from a plastic kit. However the model builder is also an artist who weathered the boat to look highly realistic.

This Dugout canoe model is based on photographs and illustrations.  It is hand carved out of wood and artistically painted.

The Far West paddleboat model was built from plans and embellished with detailed loads on the lower deck. The paint was modeled to give the Far West a realistic aged look.

Most often museums are looking for boats that fit into into a specific exhibit such as one about the Missouri River. The boat model usually has to be at a specific scale for that exhibit. Consequently the boat model is custom built by a professional model builder.  

A high level of craftsmanship, realistic painting and researched details gives these boat models a quality that meets museum requirements and engages the viewer. 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss boat models or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

The Saudi Aramco Exhibit is in a high-tech museum near Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran and is dedicated to energy education. There are 8 permanent sections to find out about oil production, Saudi Aramco's history and Arab-Islamic history. Also included are many temporary exhibits. Important information is combined with fun for youngsters and the family as well. There is a 3-D film "Energy to the World", a variety of ingenious hands on displays and interactive computer games to involve, intrigue and educate visitors. Every year the exhibit attracts tens of thousands of school children and international visitors.

The Saudi Aramco Exhibit opened in 1987. It features three dimensional models such as the 7' high detailed oil rig model shown below. 

Oil was first discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938 and ARAMCO later became the largest oil producer in the world. The exhibit dramatically tells the story of the petroleum industry and relates it to over 10 centuries of Islam (from the 7th to the 17th Century) technological advances and heritage. By the mid-ninth Century Arabic had become the international language of scientific thought.

Recently a National Geographic book "1001 Inventions - The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization" (now in its Third Editon) and a traveling exhibition "1001 Inventions" (originally opening in the United Kingdom in 2006) has exposed millions of people to the Muslim technological advances and heritage. Currently the "1001 Inventions" exhibition is at the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC until February 3, 2013. We like to think "1001 Inventions" exhibit is based on the pioneering ARAMCO Exhibit that opened in 1987.

This 7' high oil rig model scale is 1/2"=1'-0" or 1:24. The model is in a scale that people can relate to and easily comprehend the entire oil rig as well as the details.

Oil Rig Model - Traveling Block, Hook and Swivel

Visitors are inherently attracted to a highly detailed model such as this oil rig that looks realistic. The traveling block and hook above are part of the hoisting system. Below them is the swivel which is part of the equipment that rotates the drill. This is a Loffland Brothers Rotary Rig. 

The model is all brass construction that is silver soldered into a very strong welded bond that enables this fine level of model detail as well as durabilty. It will withstand exposure to extreme temperatures if it is ever displayed outdoors or transported in a vehicle that is not air conditioned. 

Oil Rig Model - Monkeyboard

Fine detail like the monkeyboard platform is possible with the strong silver solder welding of the brass. The monkey board is used as the oil rig man’s work platform. The monkey board is located at a particular height in the derrick or mast. It is the same height as single, double or triple pipes.

Oil Rig Model - Crown Block

The crown block is a fixed set of pulleys (called sheaves) located at the top of the oil rig mast over which the drilling cable is threaded. The companion blocks to these pulleys are the traveling blocks. By using two sets of blocks a great mechanical advantage is gained. Consequently small steel drilling cable (3/4" to 1-1/2" diameter) can be used to hoist loads many times heavier than the cable could support as a single strand.

Colorful museum catalogs at the entrance (according to the Saudi Aramco World magaine November/December 1992 issue) go right to the point of the Exhibit that "it is meant to be a place for joyful learning...a carvansary for the curious" revealing secrets about the past, present and the juxtaposition of the two".

If you have any questions or would like to discuss oil rig models, site models, ship models, plant layout or process models, industrial models, nuclear training models, topographic models or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

A topographic model Christmas snow scene was built for the headquarters office of one of the largest department stores in the United States. The ojective was to display to employees and visitors some of the merchandise featured that season in their stores. Model Builders, Inc. designed and constructed a 30 X 50 foot topographic model Christmas display snow scene as the backdrop for the merchandise. Also a steel platform 12'X 12' X 5' high was constructed in the middle to raise the bottom of their Christmas tree to the top of the snow scene.

 This 30' X 50' topographic snow scene displays new merchandise in Corporation HQ

Views of the Christmas snow scene were excellent from four interior levels in the atrium, nearby stairways and three atrium cross bridges.

All supporting tables had removable legs for easier storage and this Christmas display snow scene was used for several years. Four 4'X8'X5' high tables with one 4'X4'X5' high table in the middle formed the 12'X12' base that supported the 33' high Christmas tree.  The legs, framing and cross supports for tables that supported the tree were all steel with 3/4" thick plywood tops.

Headquarters professional merchandising personnel displayed all of the products as well as setting up and decorating the Christmas tree.

The multilevel snow scene created quite a backdrop for the merchandise.

This was certainly a winter wonderland that brought the excitement of the Christmas shopping season to their headquarters.  It also served as a backdrop to some holiday events that were held in the atrium.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss topographic models, props, scenic sets, architectural models or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net  

Over many years we have worked with passionate inventors who are trying to develop a new product.  "For every 1,000 patents only about four or five will succeed and make money" per the article "A 'million-dollar' idea?" in Machine Design magazine. Developing a prototype model is an important step in determining which way your invention may go.

Our conversations with inventors often cover points like these:

- What physical, mechanical or electrical principles does this invention depend on? The idea might be a good one but may need some engineering assistance to ensure that it works. A high school coach came to us with an idea for a broad jump foul detector. He did not know what type of beam should be used to trigger the detector. We did the electrical and mechanical work for his laser activated detector. 

- Have you tried to make a physical mock up of this product yourself? Our experience is that only about one-third of the population can visualize things well in three dimensions. We often see drawings of an idea that looks good on paper but simply doesn't work or is more complex when a prototype is built. One client had a patent with step by step drawings showing how parallel parts could move together both vertically and horizontally. When we built a prototype, it didn't work. Fortunately we were able to solve that problem.

- Are you planning to produce and market the final product? Inventors have often not thought that far ahead. For example prototype details may vary depending on whether small or large production runs are planned. A prototype can be used to get feedback from users, investors, manufacturers and the marketplace. That information helps determine the final design, product cost and success of the product. Once we created the working detector, we referred the high school coach to an industrial design firm to help optimize user factors and the manufacturing cost. 

- Have you done your homework on what it takes for your invention to succeed? I recommend that inventors read "How I Made Millions With Just a Few Simple Ideas" by Robert M. Hayes. This guide shows with real examples how to increase invention success. Is a patent necessary? Will the invention sell? Most inventors assume the world will beat a path to their door but that rarely happens. This book illustrates how to sell and make money from ideas that may or may not be patented.

Converting an idea to reality is often difficult. Many good ideas die in the developmental stage because implementation requires special skills and tools. You need a model builder who can provide the ingenuity, experience, equipment and material to crystallize your idea.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Nuclear training models can be very effective in improving safety and reducing radiation exposure. These training models are often of a nuclear steam generator, a nuclear condensor, a nuclear reactor or even a nuclear plant site.  

The models are a focal point of planning and training discussions.  They provide a clear understanding of the entire process and the specific details of the parts and areas where workers will be doing upgrades, repairs and maintenance.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rates each nuclear plant on radiation (rad) exposure. Training in advance of going into areas where an employee can be exposed to radiation normally shortens the amount of time they are there.  This helps employee safety and minimizes rad exposure for meeting NRC requirements.

Nuclear Steam Generator training model 48" high (1:16 scale) with intuitive diagram

The nuclear steam generator shown above is a highly detailed training model used at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Maryland. There are many features in this new model that improved training compared to the use of a prior model that had not yet been upgraded. Instead of numbers on the model and a list of numbers with the name of each part next to the model this new model uses the intuitive diagram just below the above pictured model to correlate (with black lines) the part name to the part in the model. It also uses red (hot) and blue (cold) arrows to show the process flow of the water and steam. Comprehension of how the steam generator works is quick using this cutaway model and its intuitive diagram.

Primary and Secondary Steam Dryers

Above is a cutaway view of the primary (blue tubes) and above them the secondary dryers (in white) to show where the steam flows. The output from the steam generator is dry steam which goes out from the top of the steam generator and then into the turbine which generates electricity.

The lower half of the steam generator model shows tube bundles (containing hot water) in lattice grid assemblies and one of the manways (with the bolts) in the middle. Every bolt on the manway covers and every latch on the hatch doors is shown on the model which is important as there is a specific sequence that should be used when opening each one.

For more information on this and other nuclear models please reference a 5 page interview titled "Bill Baines: On the use of steam generator modeling at Calvert Cliffs" in the April, 2003 issue of Nuclear News magazine published by the American Nuclear Society (ANS). Go to this link docs/2003-04-01-NuclearNews-SteamGeneratorModel-ModelBuildersInc.pdf .  

Calvert Cliffs also has a scale model of their reactor vessel and its internals.  Bill Baines, the program administrator for the Engineering training program, oversees the initial and continuing training of about 180 engineers and analysts at the plant.

In the U.S. nearly 20% of power comes from 104 reactors which were mostly built between 1967-1987. Upgrades to existing equipment such as to the two Calvert Cliffs steam generators are where scale models are used for planning meetings as well as for training. The models allow everyone to see how the old and the new steam generators differ and what the workers could expect to encounter.The models provide project personnel with a visual 3-D model that shows how components might interfere with each other during removal and installation.

The US Department of Energy and some nuclear plants are also using a site model for planning and reviewing security procedures on a regular basis. Communication is easier when everyone is looking at the entire area being discussed.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss nuclear training models, site models or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .