July 3, 2014
British product design house, Ignitec, has designed and manufactured a new generation of wireless headphones for technology start-up and luxury goods company Audiowings using 3D printing.
Named after the company, Audiowings is a luxury audio headphone that synchronizes directly with online music services, such as Spotify, enabling users to listen to their favorite music on-the-go, without the burden of headphone cables. As well as featuring a built-in storage system, the device also connects wirelessly to the Internet using 3/4G or WiFi, giving users the ability to plug into YouTube and enjoy music from around the world.
The Audiowings prototypes were printed in a durable rigid opaque grey material (VeroGrey) on a Stratasys Objet30 Pro 3D Printer which features 16 micron accuracy and smooth surface finish.
"When we were first approached with the concept of Audiowings and briefed on its prototyping requirements, we instantly knew that 3D printing would be the answer," explains Ben Mazur, Director of Ignitec.
In a bid to receive funding, the first fully 3D printed Audiowings prototype was entered into Sir Richard Branson's 'Pitch to Rich' 2014 competition. Audiowings has since been awarded the 'People's Award', receiving a prestigious mentoring program from some of the world's leading business minds.
"Since introducing Stratasys 3D printing into our work flow, we have cut our finishing time by more than 50% due to the reduction of support material removal required compared to our previous SLA system," explains Mazur. "We have also seen a surge in client interest due to the fact that we can now produce prototype parts with a short turnaround time, while retaining the highest quality and remaining cost effective. Being able to offer end-use parts prior to manufacturing is something which is very valuable to our clients and takes away a lot of risk and guess work."
Audiowings is currently finalizing its plans to enter the retail market.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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This only shows how many brands start using 3d printer to make prototype. Why ? Well mostly because it is cheap, no more hassle to reset the production line and the benifit to get it done fast and secure!
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