“Making It”Forget DIY, ubiquitous rapid prototyping is building better

design process

Over the years we’ve developed a huge variety of products, but our process has changed.

We can now iterate faster and test a larger range of product architectures earlier, in no small part thanks to our ability to prototype.

3D Print circa 2002: Yellow, brittle SLA printed on >$100,000 machine. Prototype costs high enough, we only printed as final validation before tooling.

“SNAP!”

“$#*!”

Prints were traditionally performed on nearly complete designs, leaving very little room to learn and evolve the design in any significant fashion

The designers solution for early iterative prototypes, yellow foam. Originally carved by hand, eventually by CNC mill.

“I love the shape, but I’m not sure about the color and texture, and it feels a little light” – Design client, ~2003

2012: In home studio prints on a <$3,000 printer.

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Printed on Makerbot 2 using rigid and flexible filaments

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Injection molded first article

2017 – Functional parts printed/Iterated daily in the studio

Nomad 883 Desktop CNC: Funded on Kickstarter 2014 – True CNC for <$3,000

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Feeds and Speeds

ABS Plastic on the Nomad Mill

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Making chips

Cutting Aluminum 1 shallow pass at a time

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Slow but steady

Small functional Aluminum Parts

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Small

CNC Mold – Cast prototype parts

Flexible

CNC Mold – Cast prototype parts

Flexible

CNC Mold – Cast prototype parts

Clear Medical Grade Silicone Over mold

Layer

Medical Grade, Conductive silicone substrate

Iterate in Real Materials – Not yellow foam

CNC machined ABS Fixture

Test

Conductive Silicone Sample

Test with Real Materials

CNC Copper-clad PCB

Evaluate

Cast elastomer mock-up of custom cable over mold

See and feel your early concepts

Experience

The same advances in microelectronics that enabled the 3D printing revolution, are now our prototyping tools for user experience

Integrate

Evolve

In Studio prints

Professional Prototypes+In Studio Electronics

Thank You