CAD turns the lights on

By embracing Delcam’s CADCAM software, an Italian company has created a range of artistic lighting products.

The company, Framon, which is based in Lumezzane, Italy, produces chandeliers, wall lamps and table lamps.  It uses both casting and moulding techniques to shape metal parts in aluminium and brass, and also moulds a variety of plastic materials.

"We begin most projects from hand-modelled physical prototypes,” explained Luca Montini from the company.  "Reverse engineering with Delcam’s CopyCAD RE program allows us to get geometrical data directly from the scanner system and so move from the physical world to the virtual world in the computer.”

The CopyCAD model of the complete design is then passed into Delcam’s PowerSHAPE CAD software to be divided into the components that will be moulded or cast.  "Extra details also need to be incorporated,” added Mr. Montini.  "For example, we need to create space for the passage of the electrical cables, and to add the holes and bosses needed for the assembly operations.”