With the advent of 3D printing services in Melbourne and all over the world, prototyping has simplified dramatically. Due to 3D printing, testing a product and changing its design according to the requirement has become faster and more cost-effective. Industrial designers and artists can now shape their imagination in a matter of hours and that too, at a low cost!
Like every other industry, furniture product designers have also developed a liking for 3D printing. They are using it to create stunning pieces of furniture to enhance the interior.
3D printing has revolutionized the furniture industry in more ways than one. Here’s to name a few:
Possibility Of Personalized Furniture
The size of each house is different, and so is the furniture requirement. The standard ready-made furniture bought from the market does not fit everyone’s needs. Even if the furniture manufacturers are willing to provide customized furniture, the amount of time it takes and the cost is just not worth it.
With 3D printing, everything is possible. You can print all sorts of furniture items quickly and at a minimal cost. You also get the option to pick the desired colours and choose hardwood for 3D printing a furniture item.
Full-Size Prototyping & Production
Thanks to 3D printers and the high-end CAD software, it is now possible to create complex functional designs within a completely digitalized process chain. The ability to quickly design and iterate allows the possibility to explore new and intricate shapes. More software’s aid the design processes and add features and self-configure changes to the models.
A remarkable achievement in this area includes the work with furniture and seating designs of Lilian Van Daal. Her “Soft Seat Project” has featured an impressive use of biomimicry. It takes inspiration from microorganisms and their structures. This chair is made from a single material, which is both flexible and sturdy. It does not involve the use of any adhesives or foams in the production.
Allows Replacing Parts & Tooling
One of the most common benefits of 3D printing across all industries is the ability for on-demand production. It enables the manufacturers to create tools and replaceable components based on the consumer’s request without keeping these items in constant production.
Hence, the storage cost can be significantly avoided. Similarly, in the furniture industry, large products have intricated and tiny components that can constantly break down. That’s where 3D printing comes into action and makes it possible to replace those parts of the same size, which would have been otherwise possible.
The Freedom To Design
3D printing is a treat for creative minds. It allows your imagination to come to reality. It offers freedom to design and create components that feature complicated geometry. It also makes prototyping and manufacturing a lot easier.
Apart from that, 3D printing makes it possible to create modular furniture that can be assembled quickly at the joints using 3D printed joints. The choice of dimension, colours, and materials are the features that make 3D printing even more fascinating.
Testing Furniture Components
Modern functional furniture items are usually built with several smaller components, which pose a risk of spoiling the product’s performance, aesthetics, and ergonomic design. Consider an office chair that has a nonfunctional armrest or a seat adjuster. These components are joined separately. Hence, their dysfunction will make the chair worthless. Finding the replicas of these parts is somewhat tricky.
That’s where 3D printing comes into play, where you can design the same parts with no room for dimensional errors. 3D printing can model, test, and fit all the intricate components. Once the model is finalized, several prints can be taken. Components can be made of nylon and ABS materials to ensure a fine surface finish and optimum mechanical properties.
Facilitating Panel Joints
Fasteners and adhesives are the most common components when it comes to conventional methods of furniture manufacture. They are used to join the furniture parts for filling gaps, shelving, or shallowness in wood. With the use of 3D printer panel joints, the application of fasteners and adhesives would cease to exist.
With custom-made joints, furniture designers can position and join the panels effectively. If a join breaks or is subjected to wear and tear, it can be easily 3D printed again and re-installed. The requirement of these joints is usually low. Hence 3D printing is an excellent option for low-volume production.
3D printing is an effective and practical option in the field of furniture design. If you are fascinated by this emerging technology and imply these methods to furniture design and manufacture, contact CAD Deziners. We can provide a gamut of 3D printing services to several industries throughout Australia.
