We always enjoy seeing messages, blogs, and videos on social media about how people are using Ultimaker 3D printers.
When we saw Jorge Valle's amazing video of his design (and 3D printing) process, we couldn't wait to contact him for more information.
Jorge Valle, 26, is the former Design Director for Spanish furniture manufacturer Cancio, and now works at the multidisciplinary design firm
Myles Montgomery in New Zealand. We connected with him and asked how he incorporates 3D printing into his design process, whether he uses it
to prototype new furniture ideas or to make gifts for his mother.
Jorge Valle
When did you start using 3D printing?
About 3-4 years ago, I had been following 3D printing news for a while. I decided to take the plunge and get an Ultimaker 2 to start making my own things. I started by designing and
printing practical small items, such as phone cases, my camera mount, and even a pair of tweezers. After that, I decided to incorporate 3D printing into Cancio's furniture design process.
Can you describe your typical design process?
When I have a new idea for an object, I usually start by sketching it using polygonal tools like Cinema 4D, which allows me to quickly create rough shapes.
Once I have a basic model, I can use CAD software (Catia or Fusion 360) to create a precise model.
I use Ultimaker Cura to slice the STL files exported from CAD and get a functional prototype of the object within hours.
This is the beauty of 3D printing. I use 3D printing when I want to test a prototype in real life, and based on the results, I usually return to the CAD
file to make minor modifications to perfect it.
How does 3D printing translate into creating furniture prototypes?
While developing new mechanisms for our products at Cancio, we needed to test them to ensure everything worked correctly. These mechanisms often included parts manufactured using
plastic molding in the final production process, so 3D printing provided an excellent opportunity to test these mechanisms at low cost.
In one of our projects, we needed to design a locking mechanism for an extendable table, which consisted of two different moving parts. So I started
sketching some ideas, converting them into 3D models and printing them out, testing them in real life. Within a few hours, I had the first idea and a
functional prototype of the mechanism. 3D printing made this process so simple and fast.
Prototype of an extendable table lock mechanism Replacement parts designed for factory machinery
Have you found other applications for 3D printers beyond prototyping?
In a specific situation, a part connecting the ventilation duct in one of the factory machines broke. The time to order and wait for a replacement caused the machine to be out of operation during continuous production.
So I decided to design and print a similar object using our Ultimaker, which reduced this downtime from days to hours, saving our clients a lot of money and problems.
How do you find it outside of work?
If you are a 3D artist or product designer, 3D printing is the best way to see your creations.
Thanks to my Ultimaker 3D printer, I can give the best Christmas gifts to family and friends, and provide custom prints. My mother loves
cactus plants, so I decided to create a planter, fill it with soil, and buy three different types of cacti at IKEA. She loved it!
Custom 3D printed cactus planter - the perfect Christmas gift
As a designer, have you used other prototype design methods?
Before we started using 3D printers at Cancio, we used to manufacture prototypes using expensive injection molds developed by different companies. This had a problem,
not only in terms of cost but also time. Once we sent the files, we had to wait several days to get the first prototype, and then make changes to the model
and repeat the process. With a 3D printer, everything is done internally, and you can see the results in hours instead of days,
giving you more freedom to design different things and test them.
Are you working on any new projects using 3D printing?
I am currently working at Myles Montgomery, a multidisciplinary design firm in New Zealand, where I am developing a project that combines virtual to real, architectural visualization, and 3D printing.
This is a project that has been on my mind for many years, combining my skills as an industrial designer and 3D artist, but I cannot provide more details at this time.
We look forward to seeing the finished product! Thanks to Jorge for sharing his insights on the 3D design process with us. You can see more of his work on his website.
Original link:https://ultimaker.com/en/blog/52653-in-the-spotlight-jorge-valle-3d-artist-and-product-designer