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A GIS Workflow for 3D Printing Topographic Models
Thursday May 21, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am PDT
403
Digital elevation models are primarily interacted with through a screen, but they can become powerful physical tools for visualization, teaching, and storytelling. This presentation explores the creation of tangible 3D printed topographic maps, transforming digital elevation data into physical models that make landscapes easier to interpret and engage with.

Building on a session presented at GIS in Action last year, this updated talk expands the workflow and lessons learned from additional experimentation and projects. We will walk through a practical pipeline for turning elevation data into printable terrain models, including sourcing DEM data, preparing and modifying terrain surfaces, exporting printable meshes, and producing final prints.

The workflow will demonstrate techniques using both ArcGIS Pro and QGIS, as well as web-based tools, to convert elevation rasters into printable geometry. The session will also introduce the fundamentals, including how printers operate, key components, and an overview of the current consumer printer landscape. Along the way we will discuss scale, vertical exaggeration, mesh resolution, printer limitations, and other design considerations that influence how terrain translates from raster data to physical form.

By the end of the session, attendees will understand the conceptual and technical steps required to move from DEM to printed object and will leave with practical knowledge for creating their own tactile terrain models.
Speakers
avatar for Noah Flick

Noah Flick

Geospatial Mapping Hardware Representative, Frontier Precision
Noah Flick is a geospatial professional in the Pacific Northwest whose work focuses on the systems that transform satellite signals into usable spatial data. He works with Frontier Precision at the intersection of GIS, surveying, and GNSS, with a particular focus on field instrumentation... Read More →
Thursday May 21, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am PDT
403
  Sponsor, Topo

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