CDC 3D Printing Energy Light

Product development team

Paul overview of Energy Light and how we got started

Overview of NPD process

How we use 3D printing within that

Examples of successful use

Look at possibilities for the future

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•Established in 2004 Energylight is a Commercial Lighting Supplier

•We have around a 50/ 50 split between agency brands and Manufactured product.

•Offices in Chch and Auck

•Manufacturing in Christchurch

•35 Employees

•Increasing manufacturing – expanding into new building

•Exporting to Australia

•2 key Manufactured Prouducts

•Energyline

•Revalo

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•Our Foray into printing began with a local printing contractor

•Send .stl files and week turnaround, but alterations were costly in terms of time and

dollars.

•So we ordered a CUBEX printer, from US

•What a great machine! Octopuses, Balls, Toy Propellers and even car ignition parts!

•-The boss was exasperated – he had spent many dollars and numerous hours to make

Children's toys.

•However these parts allowed for a quick learning curve - we now understood draft

angles , support structures and machine settings.

•So we were soon making invaluable prototypes.

•One problem was Cubex uses proprietary cartridges which were pricey and there

were delivery delays.

•So we found alternative slicers and software emulators so we could buy locally

supplied filament

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•NPD process – agile and lean philosophies

•Screen shot of Kan ban board from JIRA

•Stages – strategic fit, viable idea, generate designs, select design, make it.

•Feedback from market and in house as possible as quickly as possible for low cost

•3D print mostly in early stages to answer viability question

•Proof of design

•Iterate design quickly and cheaply

•Low skill level, minimal equipment cf lathe, mill

•Lean – don’t make anything until product sold, sell with out tooling anything

•Production preparation –help get into production quicker and cheaper

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•Need to give sales team good tools to sell product before we have manufactured

Complete functional prototypes

•Physical manipulate of CAD drawing

•Having ability to iterate functional prototypes made significant investment in

development tools easier

•Goniophotometer

•Give sales team photometry to sell product before manufacturing

•Innovative reputation, novel, engage customers

Extrusion

•Proof of design

•Manufacturability

•Something fitting in CAD environment but not in the real world

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Energyline 55

•progression in the family approach to EnergyLine

•Carrying over the main features, benefits & proportions of the current EnergyLine

range but in a smaller package.

•Feedback on aesthetics – size, proportions, spotting

•Chose diffuser

•Tested light output

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S8 Supermarket fitting – in new South Island New Worlds

•Developed with potential customer

•Show printed prototype and real light

•Sold light to customers on printed prototype so had order before we ordered

extrusion die

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8

R8

Developed product from customer suggestions.

For office and retail lighting –

He was looking for more power and wider distribution to reduce number of fixtures

So we soon printed a working proto and he was impressed (shown on right)

In fact the order came so quickly that our tooled parts weren’t delivered in time

So we printed the infill rails (shown on left) from ABS for the first delivery.

So there are fixtures out in the field made with 3D printed components!

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Boardroom in New Fonterra building in Auckland

... I reckon its looking pretty good!

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Jigs

Toolmaker cost

Easy to make changes

Print replacement parts quickly or make spares..

Tough, durable, replaceable, tuneable, fast, cheap

And in any colour

Reduce new product lead time and down time

Shown is a Revalo jig with printed clamp face

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•Print before you think – well not really!

•Print the concept – not the details

•My point is get a tactile piece out into the business and funnel the details from the

feedback!

•Not only is the buy-in invaluable, but many new ideas will be presented!

•Just as interesting , are the designs that didn’t go any further than being printed,

•These often have features that might be picked up later so we don’t through out

many prints.

•We are able to take feedback and make decisions based on a physical prototype

quickly and cheaply.

• So we can foresee the direction we are taking early on.

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Reverse Engineering

•So I though I should touch on a mistake we made.

•We thought we would reverse engineer a competitors product

•...

•It did not go so well

•And really, why would you - you have the ultimate tool to bring ideas into reality!

•Yes, you can see pink wafers, corn peas and carrots –

•Affectionately known as Pookey

•I think the key is a nice touch though!

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•Higher quality and larger prints with less time

•Print optics - prototype

•Print PCBs – electronics printing possible – prototype now, eventually manufacture

•Print luminaire bodies

•metal printing will drop in price or switch to polymer composite with thermal

properties

•New forms – complexity is free, easily customisable, engage customer and user in

creative designs

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•Print whole luminaire – multimaterial printing

•4D printing – physical print changes over time – self assembling

•Print light from order with minimal human input

•Sell digital file – print light yourself or on sight – worldwide market

•Print lighting as part of printing building

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•Get from idea to manufacturing

•Reduce time and cost to market

•Improve product design – iterate, get better feedback, explore more ideas, better

design

•Sell product before making

•Use to manufacture finished goods – exciting future

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