Otemon Gakuin University

Otemon Gakuin University in Osaka has established a new degree program in architecture, "Aesthetics and Architectural Culture," in April 2022. The university is using a Speedy 400 laser machine to create architectural models.

With a laser, multiple cuts for detailed landscaping can be made at once.

Aesthetics and Architectural Culture is an architectural major in the Department of Humanities, where students can study both architecture and art history.

Speedy 400 was introduced along with the launch of this major. The laser is installed in the drafting room and used to make architectural models. The architectural models are mainly made of wood and cardboard. Although it is possible to cut them with a cutter knife, using a laser cutter is by far the most efficient. Hand cutting is time-consuming, especially for detailed accessories such as miniature-sized people, plants and furniture. With a laser cutter, multiple accessories can be cut at one time. Also, the results are maintained uniformly, making it possible to create beautiful models. The Speedy 400 is the largest machine in the Speedy series. For architectural modeling applications, it is more efficient to process large materials at once, so the large work area of the Speedy 400 is very convenient. In addition, the pass-through function allows you to set materials that are larger than the working area.

The speed of the laser was another reason for Otemon Gakuin University to choose the Speedy 400. To reduce waiting times for the 35 students in the department, it was important to have a very fast device available.

It is really an asset for the university to have the Speedy 400 directly in the drawing room, because it motivates especially the new architecture students to make models with the laser machine. Generally, when a laser machine is installed on campus, it is usually placed in a separate room to avoid the effects of dust and odors generated during processing. However, Trotec's Atmos exhaust system has such a high performance that dust and odors do not leak out and the room can be kept in a comfortable environment.

The Speedy 400’s laser software Ruby is integrated in the machine and can import PDF, jpeg, ai, and other files directly without the need for a printer driver. Ruby also has a design function that allows for simple editing, such as creating shapes, placing photos, and entering text. If you need to make minor data modifications before you start processing, you do not need to launch another graphics software.

Students at Otemon Gakuin University have a freehand note-taking application on their drafting tablets. With Freehand, you can add lines to the walls or draw the shape of a window as you wish. The hand-drawn PDFs can be simply dragged and dropped directly into Ruby, where they can be easily converted to a cut line. The used application costs only a several thousand yen, which is cost saving compared to graphical software such as Illustrator or CorelDRAW. This would be a great advantage for educational institutions such as universities and schools in general.

With the introduction of Speedy 400 and Ruby, output has become easier. You can simply create a drawing, drag and drop it into Ruby, and the materials are cut into the parts so you can start working on the architectural model right away. In architecture, it's very important to be able to give shape to the drawings in your head.

In the future, the university would like to use the Speedy 400 not only in the classroom but also for various other purposes. A workshop for children entitled "Build a house for everyone" is currently being planned. In this workshop, children will make their own rooms out of wooden boxes and assemble them to make a housing model. The children will be asked to draw their own window, which will then be laser cut with the Speedy 400. The children can see the laser process through the transparent top cover. When the top cover is opened, the laser stops working, so parents can feel safe allowing their children to participate in the workshop.