Formlabs introduces custom earbud solution with 3Shape.
CES 2018 kicks off in Las Vegas this week and joining a handful of 3D printing companies like XYZprinting and LulzBot showing their latest wares, Formlabs is set to unveil two new resins and an end-to-end solution for custom ear buds.
The desktop stereolithography leader will introduce its new Rigid and Grey Pro materials for the first time on booth #7908 of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. Rigid Resin is enforced with glass resin to deliver very high stiffness and a polished finish, whilst Grey Pro offers high precision and versatile material properties, making it ideal for concept modelling and functional testing.
“Since its inception, the strength of 3D printing has always been in rapid prototyping, but as our materials have evolved and multiplied we’ve seen an overwhelming increase in parts created for many use cases, including the manufacturing line and more recently in mass customisation,” said Max Lobovsky, co-founder and CEO of Formlabs. “We believe we can drive 3D printing into more end-use applications by dramatically improving material properties and significantly decreasing the cost per part, bringing the promise of 3D printed mass customisation closer to reality for businesses and consumers."
New Rigid and Grey Pro materials to be shown for the first time.
The company will also be showing its automated 3D printing production solution, the Form Cell together with its Fuse 1 selective laser sintering machine for the first time following their launch back in June.
Formlabs will show a number of application examples on the booth including a partnership with 3Shape on a complete manufacturing solution for custom earbuds. Using the 3Shape Phoenix in-ear scanner and the Form 2 3D printer, it is now possible to create custom-fit earbuds that can provide long-term wear, comfort, stability and noise reduction, in a retail environment.
Formlabs custom earbuds
“The proven success of 3Shape Phoenix in retail allows shops and earphone brands to finally deliver a unique earphone experience to customers” Iain Mcleod, Senior Director and Head of Audio Business Unit at 3Shape explained. “This exciting partnership offers stores a unique competitive advantage, and earphone brands a true product differentiation to the multitude of standard fit earphones that leak music, are uncomfortable to wear and fall out while on the move.”
Visitors will also be able to see how the Form 2 was used in the development of the quip electric toothbrush, whilst Pankl Racing Systems will show how the Form Cell was used to create custom jigs, fixtures, and tooling for engine and drivetrain components.
CES 2018 takes place on 9-12th January.
