Jun 27, 2016 | By Tess
While some of us may go a whole day without picking up a pen, as typing has become the more commonplace form of writing, there is still something essential about having a good pen to write with, whether you are writing your memoir or simply signing your name. But who said the age-old writing instrument couldn’t be revolutionized or made more technological? In an effort to do just that, and to effectively create a “transcendent” pen product, the Pagnotta design studio has unveiled its innovative P22 pen, a futuristic looking 3D printed titanium pen.
The pen, said to be inspired by the form of a drop of liquid alloy and artist Constantin Brâncusi’s sculptural work, was designed with minimalism, style, and above all ergonomics in mind. Acclaimed design studio Pagnotta, founded by Giovanni Pagnotta, has recently launched the P22 through a Kickstarter campaign, which runs until July 22, 2016. Through it, the design studio is hoping to raise $66,500 to put the pen into production.
In order to create what they are heralding as a pen that provides “a sublime writing experience”, the design team at Pagnotta worked with 3D design and printing technologies. Using additive manufacturing they were able to create an ergonomic writing product that takes the user’s hand and movement into mind. As Giovanni Pagnotta explains in a press release, "There are countless pens out there… few, if any, have ventured beyond some version of a cylinder. Cylinders are easy to make, but they're not ideal - they create pressure points and cumulative strain when writing...that's why ergonomics is so critical in this application. It was the driving factor in the development of the P22, and it's what makes using this pen transcendent. We saw the opportunity to make a far better writing instrument, to inspire, to be provocative, to take the pen into the future...and we succeeded.”
The P22 will be produced using Electron Beam Melting (EBM), and will be made from a strong and durable titanium alloy, specifically a 6AL-4V grade 5 titanium. Used for manufacturing in the aerospace and automotive industries, EBM’s precision and high quality prints, capable of a 30 micron resolution (less than 1/3 of a human hair), presented the best way to create the innovative pen. Additionally, Pagnotta explains that they were drawn to additive manufacturing technologies because of their low carbon footprints, producing virtually zero waste per print.
"The P22 is assembled alongside latest generation fighter aircraft components worth upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” explains Pagnotta. “The process combines the latest manufacturing technology with artisanal detailing...each P22 is hand finished, one by one."
In addition to the 3D printed body, the P22 is equipped with the German cap-less Schmidt P 8126 cartridge system, and comes with two Schmidt P 8126 black ink cartridges. The twisting roller-ball tip pen (with a ballpoint of 0.6mm) is said to combine the writing feel of the fountain pen with the convenience and ease of the ballpoint pen.
The P22 pen is not cheap however, as much time and money went into its development and prototyping. According to Pagnotta, the cost of additively manufacturing and finishing a single P22 pen costs about $1,000. Despite the production cost however, backers of their Kickstarter campaign can receive their very own P22 pen for the more reasonable price range of $170-$220. Notably, the pen is also available in two finishes, satin or mirror, so you can choose what style of titanium pen you want to write with. Finally, each pen sold through the limited edition Kickstarter campaign will be engraved with an individual serial number, so you know its unique.
If the crowdfunding campaign is successful (so far it has raised just over $16,000) the pens are expected to ship as soon as October 2016.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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