This 3-D printed model of Buddha was vacuum-formed with fibreglass to ensure it would withstand the elements.
Similarly, in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, On-Demand Manufactured Unique Solutions (OMUS) has printed a variety of 3-D pieces for retail, staging, display, event and architectural applications.
“Our experience coupled with the printer’s capabilities will change the display landscape,” says Robert Grosso, co-owner of OMUS, “and we’ve only just scratched the surface in terms of the possibilities that are achievable.”
By way of example, OMUS recently built what may be the world’s first 3-D printed pop-up retail store, on behalf of luxury fashion retailer Louis Vuitton, for the Westfield Sydney shopping centre in Sydney, Australia. There was only a three-week period between client confirmation and the grand opening.
“Having received the design brief, we needed to produce—in record time—a visually stunning, structurally sound outlet that could endure sustained use in a busy public environment,” Grosso says. “Given the complexity of the design and the short turnaround time, 3-D printing was really the only viable production method available to us.”
To assist with the magnitude of the 9 x 10 x 2.7-m (29.5 x 32.8 x 8.85-ft) structure, OMUS worked with Sydney-based Composite Images. Between them, they ran two 3-D printers around the clock to create 30 panels, which served as the pop-up store’s walls. After adding solid support ‘ribs,’ the entire display was finished in self-adhesive ‘chrome mirror’ vinyl and adorned with animal prints matching the theme of the menswear collection on display.
Factors for success
While 3-D printing technology has evolved steadily over the past three decades to serve an increasing number of markets, revolutionizing the way many products are made, its nascent acceptance by the sign and graphics industry can be largely attributed to (a) much greater print speeds than were possible in the past and (b) the development of suitable materials.
Thanks to these factors, sign and graphics companies can feasibly produce high-quality, hollow, dimensional pieces and add them to their traditional 2-D graphic applications (much as Carisma has done with its bus wraps). Without the need to produce fully solid objects or special support structures, turnaround times are inherently shorter. Further, a single 3-D printer can produce two large objects at the same time.
With less work needed to achieve the same results as other dimensional signmaking techniques, shops that adopt 3-D printing are enjoying increases in productivity and manufacturing efficiency, while reducing material costs and, for that matter, the weight of their output, which is pivotal to the ease and costs of handling, transportation and storage.
It is also worth noting the automation that comes with 3-D printing eliminates the inconsistency typically associated with hand-crafted signs, yielding stronger repeatability for recreating clients’ brand standards. This can be important in not only maintaining the loyalty of existing customers, but also winning over new ones.
As for the materials, by 3-D printing with a white base, many finishing options become available, from vacuum-forming pieces for outdoor use to wrapping them with specialty vinyls. The aforementioned Stylo Graphics, for example, vacuum-formed a 3-D printed model of Buddha with fibreglass to ensure it would withstand the elements.
Another opportunity is in digital signage. By integrating screens into 3-D printed housings, sign shops can better catch the attention of passersby.
A new dimension
In these ways, 3-D printing is enabling print service providers (PSPs) to extend their existing portfolios of offerings by combining traditional signs and displays with new, creative innovations. And since the technology has only just reached the graphic arts sector, the time is ripe for more sign shops to seize the day and establish an early lead in their markets as pioneers with new service capabilities. They can literally add a new dimension to their business.
Lilach Sapir is vice-president (VP) of marketing and business development for Massivit 3D Printing Technologies, which manufactures 3-D printers in Lod, Israel. She previously worked in the wide-format printing industry. For more information, visit www.massivit3d.com.
