The founders of Gantri aim to change the way designers create quality products for the masses through an inspired 3D printing process. Prototyped and manufactured with an Ultimaker 2 Extended+ print farm, the products celebrate traditional techniques bolstered by new technologies that save time and money for a passionate community of designers.
Gantri faced a conundrum early on. In order to succeed, they needed to keep costs low and optimize production time without sacrificing the creative process. By delving into the world of 3D printers, the team has eliminated unnecessary tools and inventory, opening new doors to productivity and setting quality standards.
As a company that uses 3D printing to produce finished products, we need to overcome common concerns over smoothness and strive for quality.
Gantri’s current lineup of table lights provides a glimpse at this harmonious and flexible production method. Their manufacturing print farm thrives with several Ultimaker 2 Extended+ machines that handle the constant output. Fine-tuning their process with 3D printing has enabled Gantri to accommodate a wider range of designs and materials without sacrificing quality.
Their Product System is a blend of fabrication processes that combine standardized components—electrical elements such as light fixtures—with 3D printed parts, resulting in truly unique items for the home or office. This streamlined design process doesn’t lack essential production standards, though.
Gantri’s manufacturing team tests their prototypes with components and runs strict quality checks before sending items through to their online shop, where they’re produced-to-order. This ensures quality remains a top priority, and that they’re delivering exactly what designers envision.
When deciding which printer would work best with their business model, the team knew they needed something reliable to handle all of their quality testing and prototyping needs. Of utmost importance was finding a machine that could produce smooth prints early on to reduce the number of iterations needed in design stages. Supported by Gantri’s in-house optimizations, their Ultimaker 2 Extended+ printers are able to output near-production quality prints that require very little hand finishing. The Gantri team says,
Reliability gives us confidence that once a product has passed our design process it can be printed on-demand repeatedly with few unforeseeable problems.
In order to gain the highest level of productivity and efficiency, Gantri’s Ultimaker printers run 24/7 at the hand of Thomas Campbell, their 3D Manufacturing Manager. The proof is in the process: their current production yield is over 90% with the reliable nature of their Ultimaker lineup providing peace of mind as they print on demand.
When it comes to materials, Gantri sets a standard to achieve their quality finishes. White Voltivo ExcelFil EVO provides both PLA ease of printability and ABS-like toughness. Taking material a step further, they also teamed up with ColorFabb to create their own Light Diffusive PLA, which has the unique ability to diffuse light smoothly.
As the first creative platform for premium design products, Gantri is harnessing the full power that 3D printing technology has to offer. Manufacturing on their Ultimaker printers reduces productization lead time for designers from an average of 18 months to about 3 weeks, with the help of pre-engineered components and designer resources available for download.
The process also cuts down on expenses, which makes their system a vital alternative to traditional methods that cost well into the thousands. In turn, Gantri profits from selling quality design products at a fraction of the cost of comparable luxury design items, while also connecting creative minds with consumers around the world.
Gantri understands that their success relies heavily on empowering individuals to design and discover unique products. They believe the opportunity to create should not be limited to big businesses, instead choosing to promote creativity at all levels.
Our goal is to allow talented designers to be their own boss and build businesses around what they’re passionate about, rewarded for their work on top of our platform.
As they look ahead at the future of 3D printed products, they’re excited about the possibilities of using new materials and supporting various product verticals. “The new market 3D printing enables us to create is enormous and exciting,” the team says. To accommodate the growth of their brand, they hope to expand their collection of Ultimaker printers for an even more seamless, automated workflow that suits their unique business model.
Discover more applications for 3D printing in design by browsing our Explore pages.
