3D Topographic State Relief for CNC Machining

About the project

# CNC-Ready 3D Topographic State Models With Matching Puzzle Borders ## Project Overview I am developing a CNC-machined topographic map of the United States. Each state will be machined as an individual solid piece, and neighboring states must fit together accurately like puzzle pieces. For the initial project, I want to create and test **Maine and New Hampshire**. If the two parts are successful and physically fit together correctly after machining, I intend to rehire the same freelancer to complete the remaining New England states and potentially all 50 states. I already have topographic STL files for the states, but they are only reference material. The freelancer may use, modify, simplify, or completely replace them using GIS elevation data, DEM data, point clouds, CAD surfacing, or another suitable workflow. The final result matters more than the method. ## Initial Scope Create CNC-ready solid models for: * Maine * New Hampshire These two states must share one identical, compatible border and fit together correctly as separate machined parts. ## Primary Requirements ### 1. Matching Puzzle-Style Border The shared Maine–New Hampshire border must be created from the same master geometry. The two state models must fit together accurately, without: * gaps * overlapping geometry * mismatched curves * independently edited borders * one state being created by simply offsetting or approximating the other Any modification to the shared border must be reflected identically in both states. The border should preserve the recognizable shape of each state as much as reasonably possible while remaining machinable. ### 2. Minimum Internal and External Radius All state-boundary geometry must be suitable for machining with an end mill. The current target is: **Minimum radius: 0.0625 inch** This applies to both: * internal or concave corners * external or convex points and protrusions Sharp points, narrow inlets, tiny coastline features, and other details smaller than the machining limit must be simplified, rounded, or adjusted. It is not enough to fillet only the inside corners. External points must also be rounded or modified so the mating state can contain the corresponding internal radius. The freelancer should understand cutter-radius compensation and why two independently filleted state outlines may no longer fit together. ### 3. Solid CAD Models Each state must be delivered as a clean, watertight solid body suitable for CAM programming. Preferred deliverable: * STEP Additional native CAD files are welcome, including: * SolidWorks * Parasolid * Rhino * Fusion 360 * Inventor * another appropriate format A triangulated STL converted directly into thousands of separate STEP faces is not an acceptable final result. ### 4. Manageable Geometry and File Size The supplied STL files contain large numbers of triangular faces. Previous conversion attempts produced STEP files larger than 300 MB and caused Mastercam and the computer to crash. The finished models must have a practical balance between terrain detail and file complexity. I want enough topographic definition to clearly see the major mountain ranges and terrain, but I do not need every original mesh triangle preserved. The freelancer may use: * mesh reduction * remeshing * surface fitting * TIN simplification * NURBS surface reconstruction * DEM resampling * another appropriate method The finished geometry must be reasonably responsive and usable in Mastercam. ### 5. Exaggerated Topography The terrain must have intentionally exaggerated Z-axis elevation so mountains and terrain remain visually distinct after machining. The original models were created using TouchTerrain with substantial Z exaggeration. I tested several exaggeration levels, including approximately: * 10× * 20× * 50× * 100× The final exaggeration level can be selected based on appearance and machinability, but the terrain cannot appear nearly flat. The freelancer should be able to preserve or recreate the terrain while controlling the model complexity. ### 6. Clean Sidewalls and Base Each state should be a solid object with: * a topographic upper surface * a consistent base thickness * clean perimeter sidewalls * no holes or non-manifold geometry * no inverted surfaces * no disconnected bodies Ideally, the perimeter sidewall should be clean and continuous enough to select efficiently for contour machining in Mastercam. I understand that the top terrain may still contain multiple CAD faces. However, it should not contain an unreasonable number of tiny triangular faces. ### 7. Relative Scaling Maine and New Hampshire must be scaled correctly relative to one another. The final overall map will be produced in multiple physical sizes, so absolute size is less important than maintaining one consistent scale across all states. The initial models should be supplied in imperial units. I can provide: * existing STL models * multiple Z-exaggeration versions * a state-width scaling chart * screenshots and reference examples The freelancer may also create the models from other reliable geographic or elevation datasets. ## Deliverables For the initial Maine and New Hampshire test: 1. Maine solid model in STEP format 2. New Hampshire solid model in STEP format 3. Native CAD or source files, when available 4. An assembled CAD view showing the two states fitted together 5. A screenshot or section view demonstrating that the shared border matches 6. Confirmation of the minimum 0.0625-inch border radius 7. Confirmation that the files open and function as solids rather than imported mesh bodies 8. Basic information about model face count and file size 9. A short description of the workflow used ## Acceptance Criteria The project will be accepted when: * both files open successfully in Mastercam * both states are recognized as usable solid bodies * the file sizes and surface complexity are manageable * the terrain has clearly visible elevation exaggeration * the state outlines remain recognizable * the shared Maine–New Hampshire border is identical * the minimum internal and external radius requirement is satisfied * the two models fit together without gaps or interference * the sidewalls and bases are clean and machinable Physical machining and test fitting may be used as final validation. ## Future Work If the Maine and New Hampshire models are successful, the next project will likely include the remaining New England states: * Vermont * Massachusetts * Connecticut * Rhode Island After New England, the project may continue region by region until all 50 states are complete. The selected freelancer should therefore use a repeatable workflow that can be applied consistently to the entire country. ## Freelancer Qualifications The ideal freelancer has experience with some combination of: * CNC manufacturing * CAD solid modeling * GIS or DEM elevation data * terrain modeling * mesh reduction * reverse engineering * NURBS surface reconstruction * Mastercam-compatible geometry * cutter-radius and manufacturability constraints General 3D-printing STL experience alone is probably not enough. ## Questions to Answer With Your Bid Please answer the following: 1. What software and workflow would you use? 2. Would you use the supplied STL files, rebuild the states from DEM/GIS data, or use another method? 3. How would you ensure the Maine–New Hampshire border is based on identical master geometry? 4. How would you create both minimum internal and external radii without preventing the states from fitting? 5. How would you reduce the number of triangular faces while preserving useful terrain detail? 6. Can you deliver true solid STEP files rather than direct mesh-to-STEP conversions? 7. Do you have examples of terrain, GIS, mesh-reduction, reverse-engineering, or CNC-related projects? 8. What file size and approximate geometry complexity would you expect for each state? 9. What is your proposed price and timeline for the Maine and New Hampshire test? 10. Are you interested in completing the remaining states if the initial test is successful? Please do not submit a generic response. Briefly explain the actual technical approach you would use.

Skills required