Our year 2021 has been punctuated by many POD projects. Discover 3 of these projects: a technical project, a creative project, and a serial project. For more than a year, our on-demand manufacturing service has been at your disposal for all types of projects.
Technical topic: load testing for product development
First of all, this year was marked by an exciting POD project for COUSIN TRESTEC.The company COUSIN TRESTEC. The company manufactures innovative ropes and textile braids. We learned a lot from this project.
They wished to discover :
- firstly, the capabilities offered by 3D printing
- then, the different materials available at DAGOMA
- finally, their tensile strength.
We gladly accepted the challenge! The objective was a priori out of bounds because the part had to be able to resist a 7.5 ton pull. However, we were curious to know how heavy we could go. In addition, we wanted to know which filament would be the strongest.
For this purpose, we have printed 3 reference pieces to test:
- The first one in nylon, reinforced with glass fibre: PA - GF
- The second is made of nylon, reinforced with carbon fibre: PA - CF; with printing on the same side as the PA - GF (horizontal).
- The third one is also in PA - CF, but printed on a different side (vertical).
We were able to measure how much weight each of them could bear with the help of a traction bench. The results were surprising!
- PA - GF: 1060 kg. The piece cracked at 1min20, it cracked from the inside.
- PA - CF (Horizontal): 1300 kg. The first 2 tests were inconclusive: the machine stopped due to the rope slipping. On the 3rd test, the part cracked from the inside.
- PA - CF (Vertical): 1450 kg. The piece cracked at 1m56. Unlike the first two, this one broke completely in two, at the level of the screws.
In the end, we already knew that our 3D printed parts would not be able to withstand the expected weight, but we were surprised at the strength. The year 2021 was a year where we developed our professional filament ranges. This POD project has allowed us to learn more and more about our materials. We will continue to develop custom solutions and test our parts for your iterations and projects.
Want to learn more about this POD project? Read our full article ⬇️
Creative subject: modelling and production of character figures
We participated in a project for Société Générale: designing and producing figurines for their Handiskin initiative. The initiative was born to integrate people with disabilities into the world of gaming. According to the Be Player One agency, 71% of French people play video games and 49% play regularly, and all ages and profiles are represented: except for people with disabilities.
Given this, Société Générale launched a project to create a creative mode on the game Among Us. This mode features characters with visible and invisible disabilities. The Marcel agency of Publicis contacted us at the beginning of August 2021 to create a figurine of two of these characters. One in a wheelchair, the other with a prosthesis.
The challenge was to model the characters as accurately as possible so that the figures would be realistic and stylish. In addition, we had to comply with the initial brief, taking into account the technical constraints of printing.
To do this, we worked on the 3D models and printed numerous prototypes, each one more sophisticated than the last.
In addition, we made the packaging and boxed each of the figures. By using semi-transparent boxes, we have created an effect of the figurines that we find in the shops, such as the 'POP' figurines.
In the end, we printed 900 pieces, for 150 figurines of each character that were produced. We delivered in mid-October, 2 months after validation.
This project is a fine example of rigorous product design, combining creativity in the visual design and technical feasibility.
Want to learn more about this POD project? Read our full article ⬇️
Serial topic: CO2 sensors for the department
Since the COVID crisis, it is more important than ever to ventilate closed spaces. Good ventilation reduces the risk of the virus spreading and also reduces the carbon dioxide content of the air. It is therefore essential to regularly ventilate areas that are heavily frequented by the public. But how do you know when it is best to ventilate?
It was to address this issue that Justin Van Keisbelck of La Boîte à Formes called on our custom manufacturing service. We worked together to design a CO2 sensor for the department of the North of France, which wanted to equip its public and private schools. Together we designed the box that would make up the sensor. It indicates the quantity of CO2 present in the air and allows you to know when to ventilate closed spaces.
Our fleet of over 300 machines enabled us to produce the first delivery batch very quickly to meet the department's urgent need! Since then, we have continued to produce the boxes at their request: they continue to equip their establishments.
In addition, we are aware that these sensors are necessary and useful, so we are opening up production for other organisations that wish to be equipped with them. We have the capacity to supply parts, in large series and very quickly, for urgent projects.
Want to learn more about this POD project? Read our full article ⬇️
