When Bay Area firm F3 & Associates invested in 3D printers and 3D scanners to aid in their surveying company, they were taking a risk by purchasing new technology not directly related to their field. But it turned out that 3D scanners and 3D printers practically ended up taking over the business entirely and really paying off.
The new equipment is used to create scale models of future construction and demolition sites for their clients. The process allows them to visualize things like work planning, equipment placement and scaffolding set ups. The surveying company has now become a Heavy Industrial 3D Scanning and 3D Printing High Accuracy Service Provider, which is F3’s way of saying they do a lot of technical things that can’t be boiled down into a simple title.
“Looking back on it, we made a very gutsy call to acquire this equipment … the most expensive equipment we’ve ever bought, in the middle of the worst recession we’ve ever seen,” F3 Co-founder Sean Finn told the San Jose Mercury News. “But it paid off. It was a move we’re proud of at this point.”
When F3 was founded by Sean Finn and Gene and Fred Feickert ten years ago they were a traditional surveying company, struggling in a poor economy. But just a few years after the initial investment in 3D technology F3 has grown to employing more than 50 employees and accepting jobs from multinational companies like Apple, Google, Chevron and Disney. They’ve also worked on high profile local projects for the Bay Bridge and UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium project.
The company’s new methods of combining surveying with 3D modelling and 3D printing has certainly got them noticed, both by local media and the business community alike. Recently F3 & Associates took home two extremely prestigious industry awards, beating out companies from over 30 countries and almost 5,000 participants.
Finn claims that the 3D scanning and 3D printing methods – which he calls industrial long-range scanning to 3D printing – isn’t being done by any other company and they are looking to patent the process.
F3 uses several high quality Stratasys 3D printers, including the Fortus 400, Fortus 250, UPrint+ and the original Uprint. In addition to 3D scanning and 3D printing, F3 continues to offer traditional surveying services, as well as CAD modelling, laser tracking and metrology as well as rapid prototyping. If you’re curious you can watch this local news segment about the company:
