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Print+ is on a Mission to Turn Consumers into Manufacturers with Their 3D Printing Assembly Kits
Since the desktop 3D printer revolution took off a few years ago, many have been left wondering when we would start to see usable 3D printed product designs that are considerably more polished than your typical DIY 3D printing project. Particularly, how do you make something 3D printed and functional while also making it look ‘cool enough’ that most people would actually want to use it in public? How do we move beyond 3D printed junk?
If the first product launch from print+ is any indication, the future of 3D printing and distributed manufacturing in the realm of consumer product design is looking a lot more appealing and frankly, more intelligent.
The Dutch product design company, which envisions a future where “people become the manufacturer of their own products” launched their ‘print+ headphone kit’ at a 3D printing event in Amsterdam on Monday and are already well on their way towards meeting their humble goal of $8,500 – one $20 headphone kit at a time.
Of course, the problem with designing a product that’s designed to be manufactured by a consumer on their 3D printer is that not every consumer owns a 3D printer – yet. To get around this, print+ has teamed up with 3D Hubs – a global 3D printing network with over 22,000 3D printers – to help users connect with local 3D printers in their neighborhood.
“Are customers will 3D print large portions of products on their 3D printer or at a 3D Hub,” explains lead designer and founder Patrick Schuur. “By combining these locally-made parts with the supplementary parts from our print+ kits, people are able to create fully-functional, high-quality products.”
As for creating the headphones, the assembly consists of just two speaker housings, two speaker covers, and a frame, all which are designed to be assembled without the need for screws, glue or tools. Once these five parts have been printed, a user simply assembles the print+ headphone kit. Of course, when consumers become the manufacturers, this also effectively makes them the source of any replacement parts, too. In an age of overpriced headphones that break all too easily, this is a fairly disruptive concept.
If nothing else, it just might be the perfect holiday gift for the young designer or engineer-in-training in your family.
Find out more over at the print+ Kickstarter page.
Read Print+ is on a Mission to Turn Consumers into Manufacturers with Their 3D Printing Assembly Kits at SolidSmack.
Read more about CAD, product design and related technology at SolidSmack.com
Source: http://www.solidsmack.com/design/print-is-on-a-mission-to-turn-consumers-into-manufacturers-with-their-3d-printing-assembly-kits/
