Platforms like Etsy and Kickstarter have made it really easy for people to start their own business and make fantastic projects accessible to people worldwide. We are seeing a resurgence in artisanal industries in many ways, with all kinds of craftspeople offering unique and refreshing products. 3D Hubs is proud to be part of this resurgence as well. In this Maker Tale, we will explore SeenLight - a concrete lampshades project by Amsterdam-based product designer Elmer Seen.
Elmer is a true maker with a good eye for industrial design. He works at a company that develops tanning and medical UV light treatment machines, but is always on the look out for side projects. In recent months, Elmer decided to renovate his house. During the renovation frenzy, he visited lots of stores in search for lamps. Having failed to find the perfect set by traditional means, he decided to embark on a new project: SeenLight.
Elmer, what can you tell us about your lampshades project?
SeenLight was born out of my search for a simple and elegant looking set of lamps. SeenLight lampshades are made of concrete, which is one of my favorite materials. The shades have mottled neutral colors and a contemporary feel, they fit perfectly in any home or office.
How did 3D printing help you achieve it?
I needed to make a mold to achieve a smooth double-curved surface for the lamps. I ran some tests with wood, clay and other materials, but the results were disappointing. 3D printing seemed like the next viable option.
After searching for 3D print options and quotes on the internet, I decided to try 3D Hubs. Given the size of my model, it took a while before there was a Hub that could handle it. But the guys at 3D Hubs did a fantastic job searching for a Hub. Eventually, I divided my model into pieces and submitted it to Rijnja - a professional Amsterdam Hub. Rijnja’s had just joined 3D Hubs and this was their first assignment, so there was a learning curve to overcome. Even then, they didn’t give up until they had a perfect result. The flexible silicone mold that they delivered has already produced 30 lampshades in different colors!
Would you recommend 3D Hubs to others?
Absolutely, both Rijnja and 3D Hubs were keen on getting my project ‘done right.’
Meet the hub: Michel Zoet from Rijnja Repro
Rijnja Repro is a professional printing company with offices spread across 13 different locations in The Netherlands. The company is over 100 years old and has seen the evolution of printing from press techniques to 3D printing technology. We had a chat with Rijnja’s Technical Specialist Michel Zoet to learn about their experience printing Elmer’s model.
Michel, how did Rijnja decide to venture into 3D printing?
We’ve been exploring 3D printing for a number of years now, mainly to see what the possibilities are with different machines and not miss out on the trend. At the beginning, we ran mostly experimental prints hoping to understand the technology. Now, we are trying to make 3D printing profitable. That’s ultimately why we decided to list our printing services on 3D Hubs. The platform helps us evaluate local demand and offers a great way to get acquainted with customers. Elmer was our first paying customer, we’ve completed 8 more orders since then.
What can you tell us about your experience with Elmer’s model?
The model itself was quite challenging to print due to its large size. Eventually, Elmer divided it into 3 pieces which we printed over a 15-hour period. Everything went smoothly after that.
by Gloria Quintanilla
This article appeared in our blog on the 28.11.13
