【3D Printing Case Study】Taiwan's Innovative Design Power Enters the European Market!
"Medium2 Studio" is a startup company dedicated to product design aesthetics, adhering to the belief that product appearance and practicality are equally important. Two office chairs developed by the company are currently popular in the European market.Two chairs from a renowned German furniture manufacturer were developed with the assistance of Medium2 Studio using anUltimaker 3D printer.
Among these two office chairs, the SN-07 achieved sales far exceeding market expectations and boasts excellent quality that meets European safety standards. It is this relentless pursuit of aesthetics and practicality that has earned them favor in the European market.
(The two chairs shown are S CHAIR on the left and SN-07 on the right.)
This young design company possesses various processing equipment, such as 3D printers, CNC machines, and laser cutting machines, enabling in-house development and sample production. Walking into their office, the walls are covered with various design sketches, and the tables are filled with a dazzling array of project models.
Product development is a lengthy process. In addition to visualizing the finished product, using 3D printing can correct visual discrepancies between imagination and reality (e.g., Penrose triangle illusion), preventing massive losses due to structural errors late in the development cycle. From sketches to 3D modeling, and repeated verification with 3D printed samples, the process then moves to 1:1 model verification for ergonomics and comfort, integrating mechanisms into 1:1 samples, and finally entering the mold-making stage.
The company currently finds that using 3D printing for 1:4 scale models is the most cost-effective approach. Besides allowing clients to easily estimate the actual size, it also relatively shortens printing time. Notably, by using PVA only at the small interface between the object body and the PLA support, the large area of PLA support at the bottom can be removed, and then the PVA can be quickly dissolved by soaking it in an ultrasonic cleaner, significantly reducing production time. (Further reading: Ultimaker Cura Advanced Tips for Professionals)
(As shown, the white part is the PLA body, the long strip support below also uses PLA, and only the thin transparent layer at the support contact surface is PVA.)
Taking the SN-07 model as an example, it only takes five days from Ultimaker 3D printing to the completion of the final model, which can then be presented to clients for product evaluation. The realism of these scaled models is almost identical to the final product. In addition to accurate aesthetics, their ability to demonstrate assembly, stacking, and packaging for transport is crucial for successfully securing design proposals. Furthermore, they use an in-house laser cutting machine to create exclusive packaging for delicate models, ensuring sample protection.
Initially, the company also experimented with other 3D printers. However, due to the relatively complex structural design of office chairs, the need to avoid printing in separate parts to save time, and considerations for product precision and aesthetic support contact surfaces, the Ultimaker dual-nozzle 3D printer emerged as the most economical and efficient perfect choice.
(Testing the feasibility of structure, assembly, stacking, and calculating actual quantities with 3D printed small models is crucial before mass production.)
"The chair models have many tiny grooves for mesh filling. After trying various 3D printers and different techniques, only the water-soluble support of the Ultimaker dual-nozzle system met our standards. This is a significant reason why we chose the Ultimaker 3D printer."
3DMART was honored to be invited to interview Medium2 Studio and share their development experience. They provided professional suggestions, hoping for faster printing speeds with Cura software and larger build volumes for Ultimaker 3D printers. They are also eager to tackle any design challenges.
We are delighted to see Taiwanese startup design companies entering the international market. Utilizing 3D printers for design development can rapidly shorten product delivery times, increasingly becoming an emerging industry trend. Do you also have similar products or development needs? Stop the drain of cost and time immediately. You can now own an industrial-grade Ultimaker 3D printer and quickly complete products to seize new business opportunities.
Follow our fan page so you don't miss out on deals: https://www.facebook.com/3dmart.com.tw/
Contact Medium2 Studio: Official Website, Instagram, Facebook, Behance
Are you also a user of 3DMART products and have new products or works you'd like to share with us? Feel free to tell us here or contact us. We will schedule an interview and share your products.