100kg of plastic. More than 20 3D printers. Six weeks of production. Two enormous statues, each standing 2.5 metres tall.
When SiGMA needed large-scale statues for its event in Rome, Invent 3D took on the challenge of turning a digital design into two impressive physical centrepieces.
What followed was a six-week production project involving design optimisation, industrial-scale 3D printing, extensive post-processing, specialist painting and international shipping.
Here’s a look behind the scenes at how we made it happen.
1. Engineering the Design for 3D Printing
Every successful large-scale manufacturing project starts with the design.
We received the original digital designs and began the process of optimising them specifically for additive manufacturing.
Producing a statue measuring 2.5 metres in height presents several engineering challenges. Printing the entire structure as one piece would not only be impractical but would also make transportation extremely difficult.
Our solution was to divide each statue into multiple individual sections, carefully planning the geometry and connections to ensure that the finished structures could be assembled seamlessly.
The models were also hollowed out to reduce material consumption, minimise weight and make transportation more manageable, without compromising the overall appearance of the statues.
2. Six Weeks of Industrial 3D Printing
With the designs finalised and prepared for production, the project moved onto our print farm.
Over the following six weeks, more than 20 3D printers were dedicated to manufacturing the individual components.
Each statue required approximately 50kg of plastic, bringing the total material used across the project to around 120kg including support structures.
Some components were particularly demanding, with the longest individual print running continuously for 10 days.
Coordinating multiple machines, managing print quality and ensuring consistency across dozens of components required careful production planning and monitoring.
This is where the scale of our manufacturing operation makes a difference. By distributing production across our extensive 3D printing farm, we can manufacture large, complex projects simultaneously rather than relying on a single machine.
3. From Printed Plastic to Finished Sculptures
3D printing was only the beginning.
Once all the components were completed, the statues entered an extensive post-processing phase.
The individual sections were carefully joined using plastic welding before moving through several stages of manual finishing.
The process included:
* Plastic welding: Joining the individual printed sections to create solid, continuous structures.
* Filling: Eliminating visible gaps, joints and surface imperfections.
* Sanding: Preparing the surfaces to achieve a smooth, consistent finish.
* Professional spraying: Applying the base coatings and preparing the statues for their final appearance.
* Airbrushing: Adding the final marble-effect finish, giving the statues their distinctive appearance.
This stage required a combination of technical expertise and artistic craftsmanship.
The objective was to ensure that the finished statues looked like complete sculptural pieces rather than objects manufactured from multiple 3D-printed components.
4. Packaging and International Shipping
Once the finishing process was complete, the statues needed to make their journey from Malta to Rome.
Their modular construction proved particularly important at this stage.
By manufacturing the statues in sections and hollowing out the structures, we were able to make the packaging and transportation process considerably more manageable.
Each component was carefully prepared and packaged for shipping, ensuring that the finished surfaces would be protected throughout transit.
5. Final Assembly in Rome
The final stage took place in Rome, where the individual sections were brought together to complete the two statues.
After six weeks of production in Malta, the components were ready to be assembled into their full 2.5-metre forms.
Seeing dozens of individually manufactured components come together into two large-scale finished sculptures is always one of the most rewarding parts of a project like this.
More Than 3D Printing
Projects like this demonstrate what happens when digital manufacturing meets traditional craftsmanship.
At Invent 3D, we don’t simply take a digital file and press print. We work through the entire manufacturing process, from design optimisation and engineering to production, finishing, packaging and delivery.
Our capabilities allow us to take on projects that would be difficult, expensive or impractical using conventional manufacturing methods.
Whether it’s large-scale statues, exhibition displays, film props, architectural models or bespoke installations, we bring together the technology, machinery and expertise to turn ambitious concepts into reality.
Have a large-scale project in mind?
Let’s make something extraordinary.
