3D printing is increasingly being used for quick iterative design, giving designers and engineers the power to think up new ideas and see them manufactured on demand. Hong Kong-based manufacturer of audio equipment Fujikon has been in the business of making headsets and speakers for 30 years, but, only in 2011 did they decide to take advantage of rapid prototyping to give their 200-person R&D team an extra boost.
In June of 2011, Fujikon began evaluating a variety of 3D printing technologies to determine which would be the best to help them explore new designs, particularly for audio peripherals for mobile devices. Over the course of 18 months, the company examined 3D printers for the right build volume, precision, surface finish, and material properties. The research team ultimately decided on the ProJet®7000 from 3D Systems, which, with a build volume of 380 x 380 x 250 mm, was big enough and exact enough to create very smooth prints from VisiJet® SL Flex capable of being assembled, drilled, and screwed without breaking.
Purchasing the machine from Chinese retailer Shanghai Metang Novatech, the company installed the machine and had their staff trained to use it by May 2013. Since then, the company has been able to utilize the ProJet while they pursue research into new headsets capable of noise-cancelling, wireless connectivity, and various aesthetic designs.
Fujikon spokesperson Chunxiang Wu explained that the device has been a great addition to the team, saying, “As soon as we started, we could see and experience the stability of the ProJet 7000. This was perfect die-less manufacturing: we produced accurate samples with arbitrary and complex geometry that we would not have considered before. The ProJet 7000 instantly started to help our customers, our engineers. We could think up a new idea, and within a day could evaluate the design, perform validation and verification of the parts and assemblies, conduct acoustic testing, review packaging design and reduce the risks associated with producing tooling for the new products. Before, the same process would have taken a longer time. With the competitive market environment, and increasing manpower costs, we have to find ways to be better at what we do. The ProJet 7000 is allowing us to meet demand and compete in the market. We complete product development effectively and efficiently, and we are excited to see how 3D printing from 3D Systems will improve our competitive edge as we go forward.”
In addition to the benefit of being able to allow the ProJet to print overnight, the Fujikon believes the new machine has saved the company a great deal of money. In the first year of use, their ProJet 7000, compared to their old 3D printer, saved them 5% in total production development time and 11% in materials savings. They even say that their new 3D printer is 62% faster than the rapid prototyping technology they used in the past. Keep an ear out for the next headphones they’ll be releasing with the help of 3D printed design.
