Geberit Uses Objet Multi-Material 3D Models to Save Cost and Time to Market - Objet - #1

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At a Glance Company: Geberit Group URL: www.geberit.com Location: Jona, Switzerland Industry: Developer, manufacturer and marketer of sanitary technology products such as plumbing fittings, drainage and waste water systems Challenges • Build one-step multi material parts in order to considerably reduce post-process assembly Solution In-house prototyping with Connex500™ multi-material 3D printing system from Objet Geometries Results • Feasibility studies are conducted prior to series production • Faster and more cost effective time-to-market • Optimized product development starting from very early design stages The Geberit Group is one of Europe’s leading makers of sanitary technology products, which are recognized worldwide for their innovation, durability, quality and ecological efficiency. In business for more than 135 years, and considered a pioneers for its comprehensive system solutions, Geberit’s longevity and successful worldwide market penetration are due in part to its longstanding emphasis on innovation. The company’s constant drive for groundbreaking and comprehensive systems and solutions means that prototypes play an important role in the development process. Prior to 2005, when Geberit purchased its first Objet 3D printer, an Eden260™, the vast majority of prototypes were produced in-house by CNC machining; only a few prototypes were made using 3D printing outsourced to a service bureau. The decision to add in-house Objet 3D printing capabilities was a landmark moment that changed Geberit’s entire product development process, enabling not only feasibility testing, but also fit and function testing with high-pressure running water, all in the early design stages. In 2008, Geberit made another landmark Objet purchase, this time of the Connex500™ multi-material 3D printing system. With the installation of the advanced Objet machine, Geberit became the first company in its sector with in-house multi-material 3D printing capabilities, gaining a real competitive advantage. Well-founded trust in Objet Despite the relative newness of multi-material 3D printing, Geberit’s confidence in Objet’s 3D printing technology made choosing the Connex500 an easy decision. “We are real fans of Objet, due to the model quality, and in particular the superior surface quality and fine features,” says Hugo Arnold, Head of Prototype Manufacturing at Geberit. “Also, we found that our requirements and needs were always taken seriously by Objet, which is very important to us.” The Connex500 utilizes Objet’s PolyJet Matrix™ technology, which is the only method available for producing, in a single build, 3D parts and models made with multiple materials with different physical properties. An intrinsic part of the technology is the concept of Digital Materials – composite model materials generated on the fly to provide an exceptionally wide variety of properties. Wide variety of materials equals competitive edge For Geberit, the superior quality and smoothness of surfaces, large build tray size, and wide range of shore hardness values that can be attained with Digital Materials are key advantages of the Connex500. New Digital Materials introduced in late 2009 with Digital Geberit Uses Objet Multi-Material 3D Models to Save Cost and Time to Market “When we started using the Connex500 in our lab, it was a quantum leap for us” Hugo Arnold, Head of Prototype Manufacturing, Geberit Case Study