Latest projects
VEHICLE CUP HOLDER
Not all in-built cup holders are fit-for-purpose in that they don’t provide adequate support for common drink components. This results in spills and rattling while the vehicle is in-use, especially in off-road conditions. This particular one was designed for the Nissan Navara D23.
Problem
A 3D scan of the existing cup holder acted as a canvas for the complex geometries required to ensure minimal iterations and optimum precision of the final component. The new cup holder securely supports commonly used drink vessels in New Zealand — a takeaway coffee cup and a standard 330, 440 or 500mL can.
Solution
3D printed from PETG-CF filament with heat resistant and UV protective properties that is visually aligned and colour-matched with the vehicle’s interior.
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BOAT PARTS
A collaboration with Affinity Boats to find a reliable and sustainable material for use in their locally designed and built line-up of custom aluminium boats.
Problem
3D printed using an exotic engineering material, PET-CF. These parts are capable of withstanding over 200ºC of heat exposure, have high impact strength and UV protection appropriate for harsh offshore environments.
Solution
Sacrificial support structures allowed complex geometry to print effectively, maintaining accuracy, appearance and strength of the final output.
FILAMENT REWINDER
An in-house creative project that responded to a reliability problem — getting filament from our suppliers’ cardboard spools onto more accurate, reusable plastic spools. This allows us to use a wider variety of filament to use within the AMS (Automated Material System). The AMS allows the use of multi-colour, and multi-material printing.
Problem
A fully mechanised system comprised of PLA-CF components spanning 560mm x 210mm x 190mm. A fully automated winding system with carefully designed gear ratios and travel limits, evenly distributing filament onto the AMS compatible spools. The design was inspired by several already available, but issues were found in their designs which made us feel the need to design one completely from scratch to improve reliability and usability. Silver steel axles and high-quality ball bearings ensure a smooth and precise operation.
Solution