Kickstart Your Innovations With 3D Prototypes

The advent of crowd funding has opened up an entirely new model for bringing innovative products to market. And with the added advantage of 3D printing, crowdsourcing products as a path to the consumer market has become more effective, efficient and successful.

A Kickstarter Requirement

While there are multiple options and websites that function as crowd-sourcing platforms (i.e. asking customers to pre-pay or fund a new-to-market item before it goes into production to cover the upfront investment costs), Kickstarter is undoubtedly one of the most popular and utilized.

As part of their rules and regulations, Kickstarter requires a visual of the prototype along with a description and use guide. They also note that a graphical or computer-generated image of a product is specifically prohibited. Kickstarter requires that companies present a looks-like, functional working model as a prototype to both explain the product and to entice potential backers.

This is precisely why 3D printing has been such an effective and essential tool for companies looking to crowd source projects through Kickstarter. Other techniques for creating a working model may require substantial financial investment upfront, and/or increased working hours. Tooling, mold making, sculpting by hand as well as less effective techniques like “kit bashing” (mixing and matching parts from existing products to create something new) all lack the advantages 3D printing provides – custom-designed, precise and affordable models that can function as prototypes and final products.

So what type of products benefit from 3D prototyping for Kickstarter? The simple answer is – almost anything. 3D printing is not limited to any one category or industry, and can offer different benefits for different types of Kickstarter product pitches. Here are three examples from three different businesses that utilized 3D printing in their Kickstarter campaigns.

Customize Your Vision  

Boulton Eyeware’s custom-made eyewear. Image source: Boulton Eyeware.

Boulton Eyeware ran a successful Kickstarter campaign where they received a total of £35,000  ($26,000) to fund their pre-production costs. Their unique concept was based on one simple premise: every human face is different. Just as customers have fitted suits created for their bodies, Boulton felt there was a market for custom sunglasses for each individual’s face.

3D printing excels in customization, which is why Boulton Eyeware turned to this process, not only for their prototype, but for actual production as well. In order to create a working prototype to use on Kickstarter, Boulton went through 70 different concepts refining and changing their materials and finishing until a satisfactory model was achieved. It was the ease of use, cost effective process and robust selection of material that made 3D printing the right choice for their custom product.

Customized For Coffee Lovers

Fellow’s Stagg EKG Electric Kettle and Atmos Vacuum Canisters. Image source: Fellow

The ability to experiment with functionality is another major advantage to using 3D printing for Kickstarter prototypes. Fellow started as a class project that blossomed into a startup business based in San Francisco. Their simplistic goal: to create the world’s best cup of coffee. 

Dubbing themselves “coffee loving nerds” the team at Fellow led by founder Jake Miller found inspiration from across the globe and throughout history. They reviewed coffee pot designs from as far away as Scandinavia, as well as mid-century industrial designs.

Where 3D printing came into play was in the functionality
aspect.  In order to find that perfect
design that would brew and pour the coffee of their dreams, Fellow engineers
made hundreds of 3D prototypes, constantly changing, modifying and updating
their design to achieve the ideal result they wanted.

Using 3D printing not only provided a cost-saving measure with the ability to constantly change designs at a low cost, but it allowed them to see how their product would take up space in kitchens and countertops. By working in 3D, their designs could be reviewed both functionally and aesthetically in the real world. It became much easier to review a physical model because it was to scale, letting designers hold, manipulate and brew coffee using their 3D printed models.

Getting into the
Action

Valaverse’s action figure. Image source: Valvaverse

Turning to the toy category, Bobby Vale, a former designer at Hasbro, saw a hole in the consumer market for 6” highly articulated action figures that represented military soldiers and the different divisions of our service men and women.

Aiming to please the discriminating “adult collector” who looks for features such as sculpting detail, paint deco and above all a large amount of articulation points (for posing and display), Bobby was set up for success. He modeled his Valaverse military figures off of the successful Marvel super hero products he worked on in his previous position. 3D printing became the key tool to show off these features to potential funders on Kickstarter.

Both the durability and flexibility of 3D printing were important factors in creating the Valaverse 3D prototypes for Kickstarter. In order to show off the high level of articulation, each part needed to assemble and work just like a mass-produced action figure. The materials offered by 3D printing not only permitted his prototypes to articulate, but they could assemble and function exactly as finished products would. This permitted the most accurate and true-to-final prototype to illustrate his Kickstarter concept to potential backers.

All the Features You Need

3D printing is becoming more and more the go-to technology for prototyping visual models for crowd-funded campaigns.

At Shapeways, we offer 3D printing benefits that go above and beyond what consumers may find elsewhere. In addition to a vast selection of materials (over 75!) and the best quality checks by 3D printing engineers, printing with Shapeways requires no equipment to purchase or maintain. We handle all of the fast turnarounds and deliver exactly what you need to succeed for your campaign.

Whether you are looking for customization, to test out functionality, or demonstrate features that work like finished goods, 3D printing can be your best solution. The Shapeways team is here to provide all of your 3D prototyping needs in one place.

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Customize Drones with 3D Printing to Suit Your Business

Drones, or UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), are a growing technology used in many different sectors and their designs must suit their specific application. 3D printing facilitates drone innovation by enabling design freedom, as well as fast and affordable prototyping and printing of parts. It is possible to 3D print many of a drone’s parts including the frame, propellers, the landing gear, protective equipment and casings for the electronic components.

With the cost and time efficiency that 3D printing offers, each of these parts can be optimized, customized and upgraded to suit the exact needs of the business it is serving. If you are using or considering using drones for your business, 3D printing has the potential to substantially enhance your drone’s function.

Cut
Time and Costs By Turning to 3D Printing for Customized Drones

Commercial drones can be highly expensive and out of reach for smaller businesses that rely on the use of drones to grow their business. 3D printing cuts costs in many different areas including prototyping, customization and manufacturing and therefore makes specialty drones more accessible. It also speeds up the design and prototyping process so that changes can be implemented and the design can evolve more quickly. Kespry, a company that specializes in drones for mapping and surveying, were able to successfully grow their business thanks in part to the affordability of 3D printing their drone parts. Prototyping and printing the covers for their drones’ electronic components cost substantially less than traditional manufacturing methods like injection molding.

Design
a Drone that Suits Your Business Perfectly

Even with the wide range of drones already out there, why rely on a ready-made drone that only suits some of your needs? If you need drones to transport supplies and other cargo, to perform reconnaissance in tight spaces or remote areas, or to catch stunning video footage from the sky, 3D printing can allow you to upgrade drones to suit your business specifically.

Optimize Your Drone Based on its Function

A drone transporting cargo would need a much sturdier, reinforced frame, for example, whereas an FPV drone carrying a small camera might benefit from a more lightweight body. Perhaps your drone needs to be weather resistant and be able to continue flying in unpredictable conditions. No matter what your business’s unique set of needs is, 3D printing allows you to make specific design choices.

Take Advantage of a Higher Level of Geometric Complexity

3D printing technology allows designs to incorporate a higher complexity, allowing parts to be produced more efficiently. Using 3D Printing, companies like Quantum Systems are able to consolidate their drone parts by taking advantage of the ability to produce more complex designs that integrate multiple functions into one part. This not only saves time and materials but also gives them the opportunity to add any needed features to their designs without compromising on the drone’s weight.

Prototype
Your Drone Parts

Prototyping with 3D printing helps make customizing drones accessible even to smaller businesses. The process allows for unprecedented speed and cost reduction in making sure your drone is the best it can be. Instead of waiting months to test new iterations, changes can be made to 3D designs within hours, then printed and shipped to you in days. Implementing changes quickly allows for a faster evolution of a design and to find exactly what is right for your business.

Print
Your Parts with the Appropriate 3D Printing Method and Materials

Selecting the right 3D printing technology and materials will depend on the drone. SLA printing provides a high level of precision and a wide range of materials to choose from. The material should be tough and versatile and be able to handle stretching, bending and impact. Nylon is another option as it is strong, temperature resistant and is also good for printing drone fuselages that resist collision damages.

Partner
Up with a Service To Achieve the Highest Level of Quality

For the most efficient printing process, it is important to have dedicated support and access to the highest quality results. Our services at Shapeways enable businesses of all sizes to develop specialty drones without incurring high equipment startup costs and navigating the trial and error of adapting to a new technology. That way your focus can be on your needs and your unique drone design while the production of prototypes and parts is taken care of.

            Drones are used for such a wide range of projects and functions that having specific enhancements to suit its purpose are hugely beneficial. Traditional manufacturing methods would have made unique alterations inaccessible to many smaller businesses but thanks to 3D printing, updating a drone’s design has limitless opportunities. Whether your business uses or produces and sells drones, customization will become more and more important and 3D printing is the best suited technology to facilitate it.

See how Shapeways can help you produce the best drones to grow your business.

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4 Ways The Gaming Industry is Evolving with 3D Printing

Games of all kinds, whether it be RPGs (Role Playing Games), tabletop, console or board games, are boundless domains of entertainment and self-expression. While many people remain homebound and in need of entertainment options, developing games and accessories that enhance the gaming experience and cater to all kinds of needs is more important than ever.

Games give players the ability to inhabit other worlds and so their characters in these worlds are completely unique and subject to personalization. 3D printing allows for a new level of freedom in customization from the original design of the character to creating one’s own props, accessories and consoles. It also facilitates prototyping in the development of original games and has the option of being easily shareable with people all over the world via digital files. As the gaming industry evolves, customization is already a crucial component to immersive gaming experiences and 3D printing makes that possible at a never-before-seen level of efficiency and precision.

1. Custom 3D Printed Miniatures and Game Pieces

Customizing one’s character for any game is the first step in creating an experience that is unique to the player. You can have a say in your 3D printed miniatures at any stage in the design process whether you know how to 3D model or not. There are companies that offer customization services through digital scanning that could infinitely expand the possibilities. For example, Miniature You developed an app that allows one to scan his or her face and print it straight onto one of the hundreds of figurine options in the application library.

You can also choose from a multitude of open-source downloadable designs to work from. Or if you’d rather design the character yourself from scratch, you can always try modeling at a beginner level with programs like TinkerCAD. Owning a 3D printer isn’t necessary as you can prototype and print designs through Shapeways. You can have the same character in different positions, seated or in fight mode, for example, and that character can evolve as the player sees fit. This also goes for your character’s props, and the landscape of your gaming world. The possibilities in customization are endless.

Whether you need one game piece or 10, with a 3D file you can print the exact number of pieces needed and continue to reprint them as many times as you’d like.

2. 3D Printed Gaming Mods and Accessories

            Customization isn’t limited to personalizing the world of the game, but also can be used to enhance the context and comfort of the game play experience. There are hundreds of innovative and functional 3D printable bracket mounts, console add-ons, controller chargers and stands and much more. Add-ons like controller grips that help make the controller easier to handle or add style and fun to its original function are popular products. With new gaming devices regularly out in the market, gamers will continue to look for creative solutions to enhance their gaming experience. Because 3D printing allows for so much flexibility in creating unique accessories, every gamer’s needs can be catered to much more easily.

3D printing game pieces

3. 3D Printed Ergonomic and Accessible Pieces

            The use of 3D printing also means it is easier to make gaming more accessible to people who have specific physical needs. The DOTS RPG Project produces 3D printed tactile symbols and braille dice for the visually impaired, so that they can participate in games independently. Any tabletop or board game and its accessories could potentially have versions catered to different special needs allowing for even more people to enjoy and participate in these games.

4. Creating Original Games with 3D Printing

            3D printing is a multi-faceted resource as it not only allows for boundless customizing but also for the prototyping and production of completely original game ideas. You can create your own chess set with your version of the pieces, you can also create your own game completely from scratch and share it with the rest of the gaming community by making the files accessible for others to print and try out.

The gaming industry is a constantly evolving world and the needs of gamers evolve with it. The versatility of 3D printing means that solutions for these needs are more accessible than they have ever been. Already building a new game and ready to test the market? Let us know how we can help with your prototyping and customization needs.

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LuxMea’s Customizable 3D Printed Face Masks Are Designed For Individual Fit

LuxMea Studio, a company specializing in computational design and digital fabrication, has developed customizable face masks called Nuo Masks and have partnered with Shapeways to use 3D printing technology to print each customized model. These masks are designed to be comfortable, durable, reusable and are designed to fit each person individually. The speed and affordability of 3D printing have enabled LuxMea to conduct fast prototyping and produce reliable, bespoke masks built especially for individual customers. They have just launched their kickstarter campaign to make them accessible to the public.

As the concept of
“one size fits all” falls short, especially when it comes to comfort and
safety, the ability to customize on a mass scale efficiently and affordably is
of the utmost importance. See how LuxMea and Shapeways’ partnership facilitates
mass customization with the Nuo face masks:

Photo source: LuxMea Studio

How did
your idea for the Nuo Mask start?

We have been working on Personalized Profile + Customized Products (PPCP™) over the last two years to create a bespoke experience for everyone. Our first project was with doctors from Mass General Hospital. We have also been working on a bespoke glasses project and when we found out we couldn’t get a mask that fit, we naturally thought 3D printing and mass personalization was the answer.

How are
the Nuo Masks made?

The masks use an interchangeable
filter that filters 99.9% micropollutant particles and an ergonomically
designed dual valve system. The fit is determined by an online smart guide that
takes individual measurements of the face. A bespoke design is then generated
based on those measurements. A customizable label on the mask is also offered.
The design is then sent to Shapeways where it is printed and shipped out to
customers.

Photo source: LuxMea Studio

What
was involved in the initial prototyping stages?

Prototyping involved a functional test, fit
test, structural optimization, and user data measurement test. Then we used 3D
printing to quickly test our ideas.

Why 3D
printing? What other manufacturing methods have you considered?

We have not considered other manufacturing
methods. The geometry we are working with, for example, is not suited for CNC
or injection molding techniques. We believe that 3D printing enables new
possibilities for mass customization and personalization. It makes perfect
sense to us to 3D print personalized products. There is the clear benefit of
fast prototyping. With 3D printing, we have printed tens of revisions within a
period of three weeks.

Photo source: LuxMea Studio

Aside
from comfort and reusability, how does your 3D printed mask compare to a
disposable one?

The 3-ply disposable (or surgical) masks are made from a soft material so there is no way to seal the nose, face and chin properly which makes for serious leakage problems. By creating a custom nose, face and chin profile, our mask has a much better fit and seal. N95 masks require professional training to wear them properly. Because they are “one size fits all”, a fair amount of pressure is required which often leaves a mark on the face. The Nuo 3D mask has passed the N95 fit test by one of our hospital clients at their facility.

How do
you make personal customization possible virtually?

We have plans to release an online AI for users to get instant feedback. We are considering Autodesk Forge cloud. Autodesk has been very supportive in our past endeavors.

What
materials are you using to print the masks and why?

We are considering versatile nylon, for two reasons. The first reason is that the material is very reliable. Second reason is the cost. We want to make sure it is affordable for everyone.

Photo source: LuxMea Studio

What
are your expectations with the kickstarter campaign?

Kickstarter is the platform to validate our idea. Mass customization is a challenging task, and we believe kickstarter is the right community to bring our vision alive.

What
role does Shapeways play in bringing your product to life?

We have been working with Shapeways since early 2016 and Shapeways has always been our trusted and go-to partner for commercial 3D printing production. We had a meeting last year and discussed the possibility for mass customization. The Shapeways API allows certain software platforms to export files directly to Shapeways, without the need of manually uploading each file. Without Shapeways’s API, we would have to limit the quantity and increase the cost to account for manually uploading and checking for each file.

Do you have a project that could benefit from a partnership with Shapeways? Tell us how Shapeways could help you with your manufacturing needs!

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Porsche Creating Partially 3D Printed Seats that Offer Different Levels of Comfort

3D printing is used often in the automotive sector, and many recognizable names, from Volkswagen and BMW to Ford and Toyota, are adopting the technology. German automobile manufacturer Porsche, which specializes in high-performance sports cars, SUVs, and sedans, has turned to 3D printing multiple times in the past to make components for e-drive powertrains and turbo inlet ducts. Now, the company has revealed its latest innovation – 3D printed bodyform bucket seats.

Michael Steiner, a member of the executive board for research and development at Porsche, said, “With the ‘3D-printed bodyform full-bucket seat’, we’re once again giving series-production customers the opportunity to experience technology carried over from motor sports.”

The manufacturer, based in Stuttgart, currently considers the seat a concept study, and not yet a production part. The seat’s central section is partially 3D printed, because the technology will allow Porsche to offer customers an exceptional level of customization – people who order the seat in the future will be able to choose between soft, medium, and hard firmness levels. The central section of the seat will then be custom 3D printed to provide whichever level of comfort they choose.

“The seat is the interface between the human and the vehicle, and is thus important for precise, sporty handling. That’s why personalised seat shells customised for the driver have been standard in race cars for a long time now,” Steiner said.

In the future, the manufacturer plans to bring the 3D printed seats to customers as production parts through Porsche Tequipment. But for now, only 40 of these seats, for the driver only, will be made and installed in the 911s and 718s Porsche racing models; in fact, the new 3D printed bucket seat is based on the company’s current sports seat. These 40 seats will be considered as prototypes, and will only be used on European racetracks this summer with a six-point harness.

Once Porsche receives feedback from the customers, the 3D printed seat will then be included as a regular offering in its Porsche Manufaktur catalogue starting in mid-2021 – if the feedback is good, of course. At that point, Porsche will also offer the seat in a variety of different colors as well.

The base support for the bucket seat is made out of expanded polypropylene (EPP), which is then bonded to the 3D printable, breathable custom comfort layer, featuring an aesthetically pleasing lattice structure. The seat’s final layer is made from a material that Porsche calls Racetex, which has a distinguishing perforation pattern that helps with climate control.

Porsche hopes that in the long run, it will be able to use 3D printing to offer its customers even more customization, such as seats that are designed and molded for a person’s specific body contour and shape, similar to how vehicle seats in motorsports are made for the race car driver.

There isn’t yet a price listed for these customizable 3D printed Porsche seats, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they won’t be cheap; customization rarely is, of course.

What do you think? Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the comments below.

(Sources: Autoblog and MSN / Images: Porsche)

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3D Printing News Briefs: March 10, 2020

The big story in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs is the postponing of the Materialise World Summit. Then we’ll finish with a little business news, as 3D PRINT UK is moving to expanded premises. Finally, starting this week, you can get QUANT-U’s 3D printed silicone midsoles at ECCO’s flagship Zürich store for a limited time.

Materialise World Summit Postponed

Every two years, Materialise holds its Materialise World Summit (MWS) in Brussels, Belgium, gathering together the industry’s thought leaders and decision makers so they can share ideas about the additive manufacturing industry. This event typically takes place in the spring, which was the original plan for this year’s MWS…but not anymore. MWS 2020, originally scheduled for May 14-15, has been postponed, due to, as the company’s Kristof Sehmke tells us, “the coronavirus and its impact on international traffic.”

MWS 2020 will now take place November 5-6, which makes it a busy month considering that will just one week before formnext in Germany. This isn’t the only major industry event that’s had to change its plans due to the COVID-19 outbreak – JEC World, originally scheduled for last  week, has been pushed back to May, and after several big companies originally planning to attend the upcoming SXSW dropped out, including Apple, Facebook, Amazon Studios, TikTok, Intel, and Warner Music, the Texas-based conference was called off. With California Governor Gavin Newsome declaring a state of emergency in California over the coronavirus, should we all cancel our plans for RAPID + TCT next month? Time will only tell.

3D PRINT UK Moves to Bigger Facility

Moving on to some better news, 3DPRINTUK has just finished the move to its new purpose-designed facility in North London’s Leyton Industrial Village. The service provider of polymer SLS 3D printing solutions for manufacturing applications was seeing increased demand for low volume production, and determined that a move was needed to accommodate the company’s current, and future, plans for expansion. 3DPRINTUK’s new home is larger, with nearly 10,000 square feet of space, and was custom-designed to hold the company’s EOS polymer SLS 3D printers, as well as offer a space for post-processing operations and a break down room that’s sealed to avoid powder contamination.

“At 3DPRINTUK we are able to work with our customers — and potential new customers — to illustrate when and why the SLS process will work for them. But we are not afraid to tell them when it won’t, either. This is really important to us, and something the industry at large is not very good at confronting,” stated Nick Allen, 3DPRINTUK’s Founder and Managing Director. “I think this approach has contributed to our growth, which has been organic year on year, and the new premises are testament to that. We are still settling in, but the printers have been working non-stop since we got here and we are looking to further expand our capacity in the near future.”

QUANT-U’s In-store Experience at ECCO

In 2018, the Innovation Lab at Danish heritage footwear brand and manufacturer ECCO introduced an experimental footwear customization project called QUANT-U, which uses real-time analysis, data-driven design, and in-store 3D printing to create custom, personalized midsoles out of a heat cured two-component silicone in just two hours. The QUANT-U experience is now coming to ECCO’s flagship Zürich store as an exclusive pop-up event from now until April 15, with a “unique limited collection” available to both men and women, along with the full customization service.

The process is simple – 3D scanners determine your orthotic fit in 30 seconds, so your midsoles have the correct shoe size and arch height. Then, during a walking analysis, wearable sensors will create an accurate representation of how you move around. The anatomical scan and the sensor data will help QUANT-U build a unique digital footprint just for you, which leads to customized, 3D printed midsoles within two hours. You can use the cloud-based service to print your own midsoles from any location and have them shipped to you, but at the upcoming ECCO pop-up event, you can just pick them up in the store. Book your fitting now!

Discuss these stories and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

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Interview with Patrizio Carlucci of Innovation Lab ECCO on 3D Printing Shoes

Patrizio Carlucci

Patrizio Carlucci is the Head of Innovation Lab ECCO a subsidiary of Danish shoemaker ECCO. The Innovation Lab is ECCO’s independent cross-disciplinary design studio. They explore, create, and deliver projects embracing alternative production methods, various materials, new technologies and experiential solutions. This lab has a big project called QUANT-U. It is a footwear customisation project by Innovation Lab ECCO. Built on half a century of industry experience and footwear research in dynamics and fit: QUANT-U combines future technologies to create 3D printed customised comfort, quantified by you. So for more info on innovation and 3D printing within the footwear industry pay attention to this interview!

Tell me a little bit about your background and how you are at this point of your life and your career.

I am an industrial designer by trade with a keen passion towards computer aided design and 3D printing. Fortunate enough in my career to be involved in innovative projects, not only from a designer’s perspective, I have been driven to challenge my own skills and knowledge base on a regular basis. Having been an early adopter of innovative digital tools has helped me in roles were transformation and change management was paramount for businesses, especially from a product strategy perspective.

What are some of the most important aspects of your career that have followed you through various roles?

A common thread for me has been the application of digital agile processes between concepts and products. Being agile in product design and development means more opportunities to identify at an early stage a breakthrough design direction or to refine to perfection existing ones. Furthermore, I have never understood how design and styling, in terms of creative moments, could be isolated from the physical creation of a product, particularly when ultimate product performance is paramount. Designers often delegate 3D work to a modeler, and this is often cause for delays and misinterpretation. For this, from 3D modeling passing by FEA simulation to 3D renders used for marketing purposes, I have personally experienced almost any phase of advanced product development. This helped me further down the line with a decent understanding of advantages and shortcomings of innovative technologies during innovation tasks for the entire product life cycle management.

Quant-U

What skills are the most useful to have at the intersection of 3D Printing and footwear in particular?

It might be trivial but 3D modeling and developing a shoe is a challenging feat compared to other types of products. To mention just a few reasons for this: the lack of lines’ symmetry between the medial and lateral sides of the shoe, the criticality of observing the right fit requisites for a wide range of wearers and the relatively low-tech manufacturing processes that causes inconsistencies between the 3D models and the final shape of the shoe. This is mainly due to components that can’t be molded, cemented or stitched in their final shape if not developed in a flattened form. Additionally, a shoe is a soft and hard good at the same time, requiring distinct processes for uppers and soles. 3D printing an outsole creates a decent representation of the final product but 3D printing a soft upper that feels like the final product is close to impossible.

The team at Ecco has had some interesting projects coming recently. Can you go into more depth about what Ecco is doing in particular when it comes to 3D Printing and footwear? 

Dassault Systemes

We are focusing heavily on the wearable data capturing process, both in terms of next generation hardware development and for the advanced interpretation of motion data related to FEA processes with our project partners Dassault Systemes. With DOW Chemical, another project partner, we continuously explore further properties of 3D printed silicone we use for our Quant-U project. There is a lot of hyped and misunderstood activity around 3D printed footwear without a solid solution for true mass production and customization. AM offers the chance to create bespoke parts in series, but this is rarely translated in a consumer product; most likely due to the complexity of the 3D models and a lack of measuring data to begin with. To solve this, we invested heavily on the digital capture and interpretation of motion and orthotic data and the related AI and automated processes for the creation of 3D models without human intervention. With our Quant-U project we are showcasing these abilities on the market already and we look forward to extending its reach to more customers soon.

Which countries around the world are the most innovative in terms of integrating fashion and technology? Where should we be paying attention to in terms of 3D Printing and fashion?

Well, if you consider how thin the separation line between fashion and sportswear is today, and if you consider that technology in wearable goods is usually seen in sportswear, I would put the USA and Germany on the top list. France is seeing a lot of activity related to technology in the luxury brands arena, although still at an experimental level. In Italy, the motherland of luxury goods manufacturing, there is some use of AM processes in the product development phase that might find their way in final products. In the Netherlands, a country often ahead of the curve, there is a vibrant movement dedicated to 3D printed shoes that has been inspiring for a lot of young designers, although not commercially exploited yet. For us at ECCO, a Danish company, we believe to express digital maturity in fashion with our latest project and we hope to engage more and more with consumers from this point of view.

I believe that the next technological innovations in fashion will be represented by new bio/growth materials with a strong focus on sustainability and smart materials that have augmented functionality. The commercial application of 3D printing processes for fashion in general is, and will still be, for few players that have the necessary resources to sustain processes that are still slow in terms of output and expensive in terms of investments. Until a 3D printed product is either fully circular and sustainable or performs substantially better than a standard one, I doubt it will ever surpass the scope of a hyped experiment.

For this, at ECCO with Quant-U, we invested into an approach were a fundamental component of a shoe could be customized and 3D printed using a material and a process that truly augments the product’s performance while keeping the manufacturing aspect intact.

Designer Julia Daviy Introduces Her Digitally Customizable 3D Printed Skirt

3D printing is moving ever closer to gaining a true home in mainstream commercial applications, thanks to the impact the technology is having on consumer fashion products such as jewelry, footwear, and clothing. While 3D printed fashion was still considered to be more of a novelty a few years ago, efforts have been increasing to make it more common – even in the classroom. Additionally, the technology is helping to usher in a more sustainable and eco-friendly way of manufacturing garments…and designer Julia Daviy is helping to lead the charge.

In addition to designing clothes, Daviy is also an ecologist and clean technology industry manager, and uses 3D printing to make cruelty-free, zero-waste clothing. She believes that the technology will change how the world produces clothing, especially when it comes to some of the more problematic issues of garment manufacturing, such as animal exploitation, chemical pollution, energy consumption, and material waste.

“Our goal was never to demonstrate the viability of 3D printed clothing and leave things at that. We’ll have succeeded when beautiful, comfortable, ethically manufactured and environmentally friendly clothes are the standard,” Daviy stated. “The innovations we’ve made on the production and marketing side of the equation are just as important as the technological breakthroughs that have gotten us this far.”

Concerned with the economically and environmentally irresponsible ways most clothes are made, she created an activewear line made with organic fabrics, and went on to study 3D printing at the University of Illinois in an attempt to find a better, “more complete alternative.” Daviy created her first wearable, 3D printed piece in 2017, and continued working to grow her knowledge base. She experimented with multiple 3D printing techniques, like FDM and SLA, and spent time working with manufacturers on various filament specifications.

At New York Fashion Week in September, Daviy released the first 3D printed, functional, women’s fashion collection in the US that uses large-format 3D printing. While I wouldn’t have called most of the pieces in that collection appropriate for everyday use, all of them, like the Pure Nature Suit, definitely looked wearable. But now the pioneering designer has come out with something that I would definitely classify as a functional garment: what she’s calling the first digitally customizable, widely available 3D printed skirt.

The skirt is environmentally friendly, made with ethical manufacturing, and can be custom designed and purchased on Daviy’s website so it fits the size and personality of the customer. The 3D printed, digitally customizable skirt meets, according to the website, “your highest sustainable and technological expectations.”

“This is a truly sustainable, zero-waste skirt that was designed and produced in the USA using groundbreaking technology invented and patented by Julia Daviy. This method allows Daviy to 3D print clothing with less than 1% of waste in the clothing production process,” the website reads.

“The skirt is produced by combining innovative 3D printing practices with fabric linings and luxury trimmings that meet the highest environmental and ethical standards.”

Customers can choose almost everything about the skirt, from its color and style down to the waistline. Then, Daviy and her team create a digital model of the skirt using this information, and fabricate it on a large-scale 3D printer, using Daviy’s patented, zero-waste process, out of recyclable TPE material; the organic, stretchable lining is 5% Lycra and 95% silk.

I went to the website to design my own skirt, which is typically delivered in ten days’ time, though you can choose faster delivery options. The only pattern choice is organic, but there are three styles to choose from: mini, A-line, and pencil. You can select a high or short waist wrap, or none at all, and you can also choose to add pockets (yes, pockets! Pause for a moment of celebration!). Color choices are black, blue, white, nude, and yellow, and the lining can be black, white, or nude.


“You are unique,” the website states. “Wear a garment that reflects your identity.”

The skirt is designed for a slightly loose fit, and should be hand washed separately in cold water and dried flat; it should not be ironed.

Based on looks alone, I would wear multiple versions of this cute skirt anywhere. But, as to be expected with customizable products, the more things you add on, the higher the price tag goes. A mini skirt with no waist wrap and no pockets is already breaking the bank for me at $780, and when I designed an A-line skirt with a short waist wrap and pockets, the price shot up to $1,350. But again, customized garments anywhere don’t come cheap, and at least you can sleep tight knowing that Daviy’s zero-waste pieces are more eco-friendly.

“I started to experiment with 3D printing because I believe that in an age of radical change and global challenges, people need absolutely new clothing. The first stage is to simplify digital customization and 3D printing of flexible and wearable clothing. We’ve accomplished that, and I think that consumers will respond,” Daviy said. “Once we’ve brought this technology into the mainstream, we plan to use 3D printing to make smart clothing that integrates technology even further into the design and function of our collection.”

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

 

[Images: Julia Daviy]

 

Casting New Light on Killer Applications

If there’s one constant throughout my career in both 2D and 3D printing, it’s that the key to growth lies in the ability to uncover and exploit “killer applications.” Nowadays people tend to think of software when they hear that term. They’re so used to thinking about apps on their phones and other devices. For them, a killer app is one that has a billion or more downloads.

But killer applications exist with many different technologies. For example the connected home seems like it will be one of the killer applications for the Internet of Things. People are buying all kinds of devices, from smart kitchen appliances to voice activated speakers and video doorbells, all in an effort to improve life in and around their living space.

While 3D printing is a 30+ year old business, the technology is just now becoming good enough, fast enough and cheap enough for killer applications to percolate. Most people in the industry believe those will evolve in key markets like automotive, aerospace and consumer products, among others. They certainly are moving in that direction, but arguably the industry with the fastest acceleration thus far is medical devices.

There’s plenty of examples out there. The hearing aid industry migrated entirely to additive manufacturing in less than 500 days. If you’re in that business now, parts of your product are most likely 3D printed. Invisible teeth aligners are another example. A scan is taken at the beginning of treatment and an algorithm determines each progression. Molds are then manufactured and the clear plastic aligners are formed around them. Often it can require a dozen or more stages to completely straighten a person’s teeth. With that much customization it’s hard to imagine the product could even exist without 3D scanning and printing technology.

Another application that seems to be booming is the manufacture of custom orthotics and prosthetics. Like hearing aids and invisible aligners, the ability to scan and print based on unique physical requirements creates a competitive advantage that other production methods can’t match. Digital technologies enable mass customization.

But it’s not only a matter of producing a better product. The environmental impact can also be profound.

”iOrthotics produces custom orthotics for the medical industry,” says Founder and General Manager, Dean Hartley. “Subtractive manufacturing is the ‘old school’ method. When orthotics are made that way, approximately 1.4 kilograms of material goes in the waste bin. With additive manufacturing, the parts comes out completely finished, saving a lot of time and skilled labor. But waste is the biggest component. With 3D printing we only have about 30 or 40 grams of waste per pair. In a facility where you’re making 10,000 pairs of orthotics per year, using the traditional method you’d be throwing about 15 tons of wasted plastic into a landfill yearly. With additive, we essentially save all that waste.”

Market Size Matters

In each of those examples, one of the big reasons for success is the size of the market. Approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. That number only increases as our population ages. Another 30 million have dental issues that are severe enough to require some degree of orthodontic intervention. Over the past 50 years having braces have become so common that it’s now estimated that 50% of children end up wearing them before reaching adulthood. The orthotics and prosthetics industry is also far from small, estimated at $8 billion in annual revenue.

Life Enabled’s Prosthetics Being Fit.

But there are other areas of medicine that are ripe for digital disruption. Consider the market for casts and splints. It’s estimated that in the U.S. alone, 6 million people suffer a fracture each year. Other research puts the numbers much higher suggesting that hospitals, emergency rooms and physicians offices actually treat more like 20 to 30 million fractures annually. Of those, more than half are of the upper extremities, including the upper arm, forearm, wrist and fingers. Lower limb fractures including hip, upper leg, lower leg, ankle, foot and toes are reported in slightly lower numbers.  

Of the totals, it’s possible that upper arm, lower arm and wrist fractures (which usually require a splint, cast, or both) happen 10 million times per year. With lower extremities, let’s assume the addressable part of the market (upper leg, lower leg, ankle and foot) happens another 5 million times per year. If so, the total market size is maybe 15 million units annually. If all of that is true, then the market could be worth $3.5 billion or more.

How Casts Are Made Now

There are basically two ways casts are made today. Both involve wrapping the body part in a sleeve and a padded middle payer. Then either plaster or fiberglass is wrapped around, forming an exterior layer. While the materials are cheap and easy to acquire, the traditional approach offers several downsides. In fact, anyone who’s ever had to wear a traditional cast will tell you how much they suck.

Both options are bulky and add significant weight for the wearer, although fiberglass is definitely the lighter of the two options. Neither option is water resistant, making bathing difficult. They also aren’t breathable, so they end up being itchy, stuffy and smelly. The plaster versions can also be difficult to x-ray, creating instances where the cast must be removed and reapplied.

Who Makes It?

In most cases a cast isn’t made by a doctor or nurse. An orthopedic cast technician is the person who actually immobilizes a broken bone by straightening the limb and setting it in a cast, typically under the direction of a doctor or surgeon. The technician also removes the cast once the surgeon has determined the bone has healed completely.

Often hospitals and other medical facilities have a dedicated lab where casts are made and removed.

How Could the Industry be Disrupted?

With the prevalence of digital imaging technology, it’s not that difficult or expensive to get a three dimensional image of the affected area. Just like with invisible aligners or orthotics, once the image is processed it can be used to manufacture a product that’s made specifically for the user.

Advancements in 3D printing make it possible to create a lightweight, plastic cast that provide a better fit with fewer downsides. First, because they mimic the scan they can be more anatomically accurate. But also because they can be made from nylon (or other durable plastics) they can be tough and strong enough to handle the rigors of daily life. They’re also waterproof and more hygenic. They can even be designed with a lattice type structure to reduce weight and greatly enhance breathability, creating a much more comfortable experience for the patient.

Barriers to Entry

One might think speed is the primary barrier to entry. After all, a plaster or fiberglass cast can be made on the spot, with little need for complex machinery or tooling. But that’s not always a challenge. Often, especially after surgery, a patient will be fitted with a splint for anywhere from 24 hours to a week, to allow swelling and other post-operative issues to subside. Whether it’s manufactured onsite or elsewhere, there’s typically time.

Cost is certainly a challenge. While 3D printing has gotten much cheaper in recent years, its difficult to compete with the cost of labor and raw materials involved with traditional casts. Orthopedic technicians make anywhere between $30 to $65,000 and the average cast takes 20 to 45 minutes to fit. In the case of either plaster or fiberglass, material costs are negligible.

Yet still, the average cost of a cast (excluding physician fees) is estimated at somewhere between $225 and $250. At some point 3D printing becomes just as affordable.

The Who and the Where

Like every killer application, it seems the bigger questions are, “who produces the product, and where?” In the orthotics business, companies like iOrthotics have landed on a model where they manufacture from a central facility and then deliver to podiatrists and clinics who resell their products. In the dental field, NivellMedical is following a similar approach towards selling and distributing invisible aligners.


Could the same strategy be used with casts and splints? At least one company thinks so. ActivArmor has developed a process where a scan is taken by one of their orthopedic clinical partners, creating a 3D model of the patient’s limb. They then use it to create a completely individualized and fitted splint based on the physician’s specific positioning and instructions. The ActivArmor™ device is then custom fabricated for the patient and shipped back to the clinic for installation and fitment.

Outsourcing Has Its Advantages

Of course this strategy makes a lot of sense for health care providers who don’t want to invest in the capital equipment and expertise it takes to produce custom casts and splints in house. For dedicated service providers, making these types of products is their core competency. Through decades of experience they’ve learned to optimize their operations and produce the best possible products. They invest in the people, processes and technology needed to manufacture high quality products as efficiently and inexpensively as possible.

But, as I’ve mentioned more than a few times in the past, any time customization is involved, friction is inevitable. Customers have to spend more time trying to articulate their needs and preferences.

Workflow is Key

In any environment where products are personalized a digital workflow is critical. You must give customers the ability to communicate their needs and submit all the information necessary to successfully complete each job. But in the medical industry it takes more than a slick front-end. Data must be locked down to protect patient confidentiality and meet other industry regulations. For this reason, service bureaus selling into that market need to work with software providers who can ensure the security of their processes and data.

Artificial Intelligence

Beyond quoting, order entry and job management, the company that successfully disrupts this market will also need robust software to convert a patient’s digital scan into a fully optimized plastic cast that can be additively manufactured as quickly and inexpensively as possible. I’ve been saying for years that the combination of multiple emerging “platform” technologies could create a lot of interesting new business opportunities. In this example, artificial intelligence and 3D printing could be combined to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Just Do It

But the good news is, companies are already doing it in plenty of related fields. Whether we’re talking hearing aids, invisible braces, or prosthetics, companies have built business models to that allow them to receive 3D scans and convert them into unique physical products. In some cases they’re fully automated. In others there’s someone behind the curtain pulling levers each time an order is placed. But even if they’re relying on labor today they know they must replace it with technology tomorrow. One is scalable, the other is not.

While splints and casts have the potential to become a “killer application” for 3D printing in the medical industry, they’re certainly not alone in that market or others. For existing companies and startups, the challenge is to find a need and better solve it. Those who do have the potential to own a niche. Those who wait for an application to be developed have little choice but to commoditize it. In a complex environment, that’s too often difficult to achieve and sustain.

John Hauer is the Founder and CEO of Get3DSmart, a consulting practice which helps companies understand and capitalize on BIG opportunities with 3D printing.

John’s original content has been featured on Forbes, TechCrunch, Futurism, QZ.com, and 3DPrint.com among others. Follow him on Twitter at @Get3DJohn

TextileLab and Fabricademy: Interview with Anastasia Pistofidou on Sustainably 3D Printing Fashion.

Fashion and sustainability are two words that feel as antonyms nowadays. The mass production of clothing and ethically doubtful methods of manufacture give one of the biggest economic forces one of the top rankings of the most polluting sectors. This creates a negative social influence and climatic impact that makes obvious the need for a change to make fashion great again. This issue is not new and many people are working towards a better future. And although the changes come slowly, the mentality and so with it the industry is moving towards a healthier direction.

Picture of a 3D printer printing a sample

3D printing on textiles, one of the innovative methods in fashion industry. 3D printer at Fabricademy. Credit: Anastasia Pistofidou

One of those people who believe in the need for a change in fashion is Anastasia Pistofidou. She is a Greek architect specialized in digital fabrication technologies. Based in Barcelona, currently works as director of the FabTextile research lab and Fabricademy, a new textile and technology academy. The FabTextile project offers an “Open sourcing fashion production for a global innovation ecosystem.”. It is a research platform that seeks a new approach in the fashion industry through the use of technologies as 3D printing or CNC milling.

Taken for FabTextile website:

In Fab Textiles we are developing and implementing a new approach on to how create, produce and distribute fashion elements, by using distributed manufacturing infrastructures and knowledge networks. Fab Textiles offers a cross-disciplinary education and research platform, where production and culture through advanced technologies are making impact in the way we think and act towards the fashion industry.

top view of 3D printed top

3D printed top. Credit: Anastasia Pistofidou

As we have mentioned in other posts, the use of 3D printing in the textile sector is opening a new scope that is oriented towards improving the present landscape of fashion. Although we are still making baby steps before we graduate to major achievements, there are some interesting ways that 3D printing can add to fashion. Some of the positive things 3D printing could bring this field is the possibility of creating tailored garments that waste less material. The capacity to produce locally and improve distribution systems, saving transportation costs and pollution are other benefits. Also, the idea of open source fashion is quite interesting and could shift the way we design clothes, enhancing the customization of pieces to fit personal needs while making fashion more of a collective endeavor.

We asked Anastasia some questions in order to learn more.

Which 3D printers do you use?

We use various 3D printers using FDM technology, mainly BCN and Prusa.

What materials can you print?

We can print in TPU, PLA, Filaflex, nylon.

How would I work with you if I was a fashion designer?

You can make your sketches and patterns in paper and we can 3D model and 3D print them.

Why is what you do important?

Because it is a completely new production process and it used 3D models that are digital and not physical patterns on paper. you can also design directly in 3D, not necessarily in a flat pattern. You can send your 3D file anywhere to be printed, without having to ship garments

What is the added value?

Distributed production, collaborative production, self making, self sustenance.

What are you adding to the 3d printing & fashion world?

Techniques, tutorials, educational material, methodologies, products as showcase, artistic pieces.

Can you actually wear the garments?

Yes, you can.

Can you clean it in a washing machine?

Washing machines may change as well, imagine cleaning your garments as you are cleaning a table, it will be different cleaning method.

Picture of the back of a 3D printed top

3D printed top. Credit: Anastasia Pistofidou