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Grand Challenge: Space Station
SOLIDWORKS employees from all corners of the globe joined together
to push their design prowess to the limits and create something truly out of this world.
As COVID-19 took hold last year, employees of SOLIDWORKS, a 3D design software program, took on a project of global proportions: a worldwide, multi-disciplinary collaboration to design a digital space station, aptly named “The Grand Challenge.”
In only eight weeks time, over 500 SOLIDWORKS employees from all corners of the globe joined together to push their design prowess to the limits and create something truly out of this world.
When the digital model was completed, the space station measured nearly 1.5 miles long and 2,600 feet wide. That’s when the SOLIDWORKS team turned to Dimensional Innovations to bring the space station to life, in scaled form. That’s when we got to work.
Our response was to utilize numerous disciplines, including high-end 3D printing, metal working, CNC cutting, electronics, special paints and graphics to develop a 7-foot model from their intricate design details. The space station, composed of pods that integrate life support systems, recreational arenas, food support systems, waste processing plants, and more, slowly spins on an axis to give a functional, dynamic aspect to the model.
Completed, the space station will be permanently housed and suspended in the Dassault Systèmes U.S. headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts.
110
Individual, 3D-printed parts using the SLA method
83"
Length of the scaled model of the space station
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Brandon Kuzara
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Brandon has over seven years of Client Success, Account Management, and Business Development experience working within various industries alongside countless clients. With a unique background that spans multiple roles, Brandon tries to... more about Brandon Kuzara
