PHYSICAL MODELS OF GIS OBJECTS BY RAPID PROTOTYPING

During the last years new technical solutions for the fast and inexpensive production of mechanical parts were developed. The prototypes are built by computer-controlled devices using a numerical description of the part. The prototypes serve mainly to judge on the form and appearance of the final parts. The available technical solutions for rapid prototyping were evaluated to build physical models of three-dimensional GIS objects. A recently introduced device, the 3D plotter Z406, is able to produce physical models in full color. A number of models were built using the 3D plotter, visualizing 3D choropleth maps and conceptual surfaces derived from demographic and economic data. The experiences and results in building 3D multicolored models of GIS objects are described, including the costs involved to build the models. 1. VIRTUAL REALITY AND PHYSICAL MODELS Advanced visualization techniques have been used for some time in architecture and planning. The architect or planner is able to inspect buildings and landscapes which are not existent in reality (yet), but are stored as numerical models in a CAD or other information system. The technical possibilities stretch from photo-realistic images over stereoscopic views to walk