How 3D printing changed hardware development

It has been said 3D printing is going to change our way of living. In the near future, we will be able to create our own furnishings by downloading 3D files from dedicated websites. This is just an example of what this 30-years old technology has to offer.

You can choose among many different materials (bioplastics, resins, metals) in different colors (even transparent!) and structure (rigid or flexible) using many different technologies, from fused deposition modelling and stereolithography to more advanced technologies. Some companies are also experimenting with printing of electronic circuits, even though the technology is not ready for market (yet).

Truth is, 3D printing is far to be a technology you can find in every house as it is still something restricted to geeks and early adopters.

Hardware development is where 3D is really game-changing.

Everything starts with a CAD/CAM

The mechanical designer creates a first version of the electronic board (and optics, in our case). After a few iterations of review and designs, it’s time to see how your product looks like: really!

Here is where 3D printing comes into play.

Whereas in the past you would have chosen slow and expensive production processes, now with a decent 3D printer you can get very complex prototypes in a few hours. This way, you can verify that the design is coherent, the assembly phase is easy and straightforward and overall feel of the product is just what you imagined.

Of course sometimes 3D printing could be not enough if you need more precise coupling or maybe you want your beta tester to try a better version of your product. For this, you can choose among other manufacturing technologies (cheaper than moulding), like vacuum casting and CNC.

Before working in Glassup I have never experimented with this technology — now I wonder how could I have done without!

My name is Emiliano and I work as Product Manager at Glassup, an Italian company developing AR Glasses for industry and cycling.