Workshop
We are all makers at heart, and it is through the process of making that we are able to give life to abstract ideas, designs and concepts. Whether by machine or maker’s hand, our team works across a diverse range of workshop capabilities and departments to bring each distinctive design to life. Our broad range of expertise and enduring experience ensures that each project’s artistic vision and intent is maintained throughout the making process.
A walk across our workshop floor has become the most exciting activity of my week. The worries of the outside world fade quickly, as the creativity, talent and capability of our production team constantly break the mould. Instead of boundaries, these four walls create new horizons where anything becomes possible.
Jamie Reynolds, Managing Director North America
#Capabilities
Project Management
At the beginning of a project's lifecycle, a project manager is attached. Responsible for the delivery of a project, our team of project managers communicate regularly with our partners, ensure that key project milestones are met, liaise with sub-contractors and, work closely with our craftspeople to ensure a project is delivered on time and meets the expectations of our partners.
Budget & Logistics
To ensure a project remains on budget and on time our teams work together to create feasibility budgets, manage the supply chains and develop programs that speak to the needs and creative vision of a project.
Technical Drawings & Engineering Support
Before a project lands on the workshop floor, our designers liaise with engineers to ensure a project is structurally sound. Based on the engineer's recommendations our designers will create the final technical drawing set that is required for fabrication.
Advanced Robotics
We continue to invest in new technologies and processes for making and manufacturing. Our Brisbane workshop is our Advanced Manufacturing base, with two state-of-the-art robotic arms, virtual and augmented reality vision systems that can be utilised by our design and workshop teams, as well as an ongoing research initiative between UAP, the IMCRC, QUT and RMIT University.
Augmented Reality Fabrication Assist
Working with our craftspeople, our technical design team have developed processes to utilise Augmented Reality technology during the fabrication of a project. Whilst wearing the HoloLens our craftspeople can accurately mark-out, manipulate and weld materials based on the overlaid design.
Robotic Milling
Our KUKA robotic arm assists our workshop by milling and shaping moulds and patterns. Operated by our craftspeople and technical designers, the robotic arm can mill timber, Styrofoam, wax and sand.
Pattern Making
Our team of pattern makers create the patterns of artworks for casting and prototyping. Depending on the project's needs and artistic intent, our pattern makers create patterns out of timber, Styrofoam, wax, silicone, plasticine, acrylic, resin, polycarbonate, thermo plastics and thermo setting plastics. Our team's high level of craftsmanship ensures the work's artistic integrity is maintained through to the casting process.
Paint Shop
Our workshops are fitted out with paint booths able to accommodate projects big and small. Our team of highly skilled painters work with our partners to explore different paint options suitable for their project’s needs. From durable U-POL RAPTOR through to smooth matte and everything in-between, our paint shops can accommodate any project's needs.
Mould Making
Whether casting a ten-meter sculpture or a tiny edition, our craftspeople explore and develop new processes to create moulds that maintain the creative vision of a work. Our foundry and pattern making teams work together to create moulds out of fiberglass, rubber & silicone, sand, and wax.
Lost Wax & Sand Casting
With foundries located in Australia, China and North America, our global team of foundry-people have decades of experience creating lost wax and sand castings. With the ability to pour and cast works in stainless steel, bronze, aluminum, brass, white brass, copper, ductile iron and, precious metals our teams work with our partners to explore the best materials and processes for each project.
Welding & Fabrication
Our global team of fabricators have the experience and skills to weld any metal we cast. Using gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten metal arc welding or flux core metal arc welding, our fabrication team's experience and advanced skillsets enables them to piece together the most complex designs and projects.
Finishing & Patina
Depending on an artwork's needs, our finishing department will work closely with our partners to find or develop the right finish, patina or texture for the project. Our finishing teams are incredibly experienced in the application of patina, brush & texture finishing, wax, brush plating, enamel, and modern coatings, and can mirror polish stainless steel, bronze, aluminum, brass and copper.
Panel Beating
Part of our global fabrication team is made up of panel beaters. These craftspeople have the skills and know-how to shape metals by panel beating the sheets into the required sculptural form.
Installation
Overseen by our project managers, we can assist, manage, organise and explore the best possible methods for the installation of projects. Our team undertakes all aspects of the installation, including handling and packing the work, domestic or international transportation, and assembly.
Artwork Ingredients List & Carbon Audit
As part of our sustainability strategy, we collaborate with artists and clients to calculate an artwork's carbon emission by creating its unique ingredients list. This allows our client a form of transparency around the production of the artwork and inform offset plans and discuss the artwork's life cycle included 'end of use' – repair, reuse, recycle, product take back.
Preservation, Restoration & Maintenance
All over the world, our craftspeople have the knowledge and experience to expertly preserve, restore and maintain artworks. Our expert team provides a suite of preservation services from preventive conservation consultancy, examination, and condition reporting of artworks, through to conservation treatment and maintenance plans.
#Gallery
