As if 3D printing was not mind boggling enough, a new technology from Steelcase and MIT aims to break the “traditional” mold! This new technique can reproduce a structure that would have taken 50 hours using a traditional 3D printing process in just 10 minutes with rapid liquid printing. This allows manufacturers to effectively 3D print customized furniture on demand. According to a recent WoodWorkingNetwork.com article Liquid 3D Printing Process Creates Custom Furniture in Minutes by Robert Dalheim, “MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab, Steelcase and award-winning product designer Christophe Guberan have collaborated on a new technology aimed to break the traditional constraints of 3D printing.
“Instead of the traditional layer-by-layer printing, the new Rapid Liquid Process prints inside of a gel — essentially allowing a product designer to draw in 3D space without the limitations of gravity.
A laminated table with a 3D liquid printed surface from Steelcase
A two-part liquid polyurethane is extruded into the gel using a CNC machine and a nozzle. The liquids then mix, allowing a real, solid object to be created in mere minutes. A two-part mixing process allows the material to be chemically-cured instead of set using light or temperature. The technique mixes, extrudes and cures all while the 3D printing is underway.
The collaboration between Steelcase and MIT will continue to seek further…” READ MORE
At Andy Stern’s Office Furniture we do not yet have the ability to use Rapid Liquid Printing to produce full-scale furniture in a matter of minutes BUT our Design Services are still the best in the business! We offer Computer Aided Design Services (C.A.D.) powered by 20/20 Technologies, the latest software for state of the art space planning capabilities. Our design software is an integrated package of applications that automates the design, specification, and facilities management process. Visit our Design Services page and find out how to get started!
