Crafting Ireland's Landscape: 3D Relief Maps by Terraform

Billy Hamilton, the founder of Terraform, is transforming the Irish landscape into stunning 3D relief maps. Starting in 2014, Billy uses publicly available digital elevation models from NASA, converting this data into 3D printable models that capture the intricate details of Ireland's topography.

The Process: From Digital to Physical

The process begins with meticulous design, accounting for the inherent distortion that occurs during vacuum forming. Billy carefully offsets the printed image, particularly around mountainous regions, to ensure accuracy in the final product.

An 3D printer plays a crucial role, allowing for the creation of prototypes and the final moulds used in the vacuum forming process. For bespoke, one-off maps, assembled 3D printed sections are perfect. However, for larger production runs, a resin mould is created by printing a negative and then casting resin to produce a positive mould.

The map designs are then printed onto PVC plastic, ready for the vacuum forming stage.

Diverse Applications and Customer Bases

Terraform caters to a diverse range of customers, including tourism, the domestic market, and education. To meet varying needs, different sized maps are produced using a reducing window on the Formech 686 vacuum forming machine, using its targeted heating zones to only heat-up the required areas.

Precise alignment of the map over the mould is crucial. Billy uses the topography itself, feeling the peaks of mountains, to ensure accurate placement. Guidelines are then marked to improve alignment for subsequent maps. The thin PVC material heats up quickly, typically in just nine to ten seconds.

Expanding Horizons

While Terraform has primarily focused on the domestic gift and tourism markets, Billy sees significant potential in other areas. Applications in architectural development planning, landscape modelling, education, catchment management for rivers, underwater topography, and shipwreck models are all being explored.

Empowered by Technology

Operating from the West of Ireland, Terraform has benefited greatly from access to industry-standard machinery like the Formech 686. Billy expresses his enthusiasm for continuing to work with Formech, aiming to further develop his business and explore new possibilities within the realm of vacuum forming.