Jan.24, 2013

Build and customize your own action bot, a figure that you could move around, pose and show up its personality. These freeform action figure are designed and created by toy designer Wayne Losey (KidMechano).

Wayne Losey began his career as a comic book creator and illustrator making character design, visual storytelling and content development. He started his illustrious toy career as designer for Kenner Toys in 1993 and since then, he has been designing and sculpting for more than 20 toy and entertainment brands, ranging from action figure brands like GI Joe: Sigma Six, Spiderman, Batman, and Star Wars to Transmedia interactive properties like Pokemon and Beyblade.

Now Wayne Losey has his own company - Dynamo Development Labs, an IP and concept studio that provide strategic creative solutions for the producers of toys, games and branded entertainmentgames. He started to use his CAD skill and online 3D printing service provider Shapeways, Ponoko and Sculpteo to make his project: ModiBot.

ModiBot is modular, upgradeable, figure kit with highly poseable, snap-fit, ball joint construction. It was started as an exploration into the possibilities of 3d printing construction toys and delivering them on-demand.

ModiBots are a creative framework for creating poseable characters, but it's meant to be built upon like a skeleton," says Losey. "We also want to put the ability to create 'content' into a user's hands. ModiBot is ultimately a tool for that."

Modibots are delivered in small 3D printed body pieces. You can then assemble them to create many different poses with character. The company started with the baseline build system and then added accessories and body styles over time. They has designed a series of tools, accessories such as dinosaur, spider, robot so you can add more impressive poses for your figures. Up to now they have created more than 700 parts.

"3D printing is an extremely sustainable business model. There's no over-purchase of inventory and subsequent mad rush to sell that inventory and invest it back into the next batch," Losey says. "Like many software businesses, it's a constant beta mentality, where it's tweaked until it works."

But Losey faces also some challenge of using 3D printing for production. First of all the surface finish of plastic is not as smooth as injection molded parts. "A lot of people don't like the 'unfinished' quality of the prints, they feel a bit grainy or fuzzy, because its laser-fused bits of nylon," says Losey. Secondly, it takes almost 10 days to get his parts 3D printed via 3D printing service company. For people who are used to walking in and buying something, this is too slow. He thinks this method could only be accepted by niche consumers who are willing to spend time waiting for an unique personalized product.

But still, people loves the project and 3D printed customize action bots. Each 3D printed figure cost about $15~$26 which is almost the same as retail price of massive produced action figures in the market. Losey says their sales are expected to be doubled by end of the February.

Check out the video below Losey putting the newest kit together. You can find all his models on Shapeways and Sculpteo.

(Images credit: Wayne Losey)

 

Via: Wired

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Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

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psionic wrote at 7/27/2015 5:49:57 PM:

cool figure, but totally not paying for one, especially if i have to pay to print one with my own printer.

josephmartins wrote at 11/11/2014 5:16:05 AM:

I disagree with Mr. Pi above. The future is giving away the models for free and selling the printers, and more importantly, the raw materials. Even the printers will eventually drop in price considerably. The real sustainable cash cow for the big players will be the materials packaged in a way the printers can use them. Some models may produced by in-house employees and contractors but I suspect the large majority will be created by third parties. Those individuals will eventually face a few realities: 1. They'll need to produce new and updated designs on a regular basis to remain relevant. 2. Once a design hits the streets it'll very likely be copied and derivatives will soon follow. 3. Those who stay ahead of the copycats may manage to make a few bucks of their designs until #2 above renders the designs no longer profitable. 4. Some designers may manage to align themselves with the printer and material suppliers. They supply designs at either no upfront cost in exchange for a royalty each time the design is printed (seems wise, potentially lucrative and easily administered). Or they sell their rights in full for some negotiated lump sum (probably peanuts in comparison). Either way the designs end up in a free catalog for that manufacturer's printers. And that friends is the future of 3D printing. See the highly successful razor/razorblade and printer/ink business models should you have any doubts.

314159 wrote at 5/18/2013 5:29:20 PM:

Here's the problem with 3D printing though. You're trying to sell these, but I could remodel them and print them today on my solidoodle. I think the future is selling the STL files to people for them to print, and just putting up with a certain amount of piracy.

Dante Russell wrote at 3/21/2013 4:50:27 PM:

How do I buy some



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