DESIGN NAME: Shadowbrook
PRIMARY FUNCTION: 3D Printed Metal Faucet
INSPIRATION: Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD), the design team aimed to recreate the natural movement of water flowing over rocks in a riverbed. This stunning effect was achieved by meticulously adjusting 19 separate waterways. The rest of the faucet styling is extremely pure and simple, to keep the spotlight on the mesmerizing play of the water as it gently cascades over the geometric facets on the spout.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Shadowbrook is part of the first-ever collection of residential faucets created with Additive Manufacturing (3D printing). While this technique has been used to create plastic prototypes for years, these are the first ready-for-market residential faucets printed in metal. This process opens up exciting possibilities for faucet design and function, enabling avant-garde ways to present water. This faucet recreates the poetic and soothing flow of water bouncing on rocks in a stream.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: A celebration of the natural experience of water, the Shadowbrook faucet enchants and beguiles the user by reinventing the common experience of receiving water by turning on the faucet tap. It offers a vivid and unforgettable statement of flowing water that could not be achieved by traditional manufacturing processes. Beneath this unique design, the Shadowbrook offers superb performance and a water-saving flow rate of 1.2 gallons per minute.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The product development process took 18 months and was completed at the American Standard design center in Piscataway, NJ.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The faucet is printed using DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering), a process in which a computer-guided laser beam fuses powdered metal into the desired shape with high heat. A solid metal block gradually arises out of the powder, and is then hand-finished to smooth extraneous metal and reveal the design. In a revival of the tradition of bespoke craftsmanship, the faucet is then hand-finished by an artisan who gives it a rich, fine patina and feel that mimics the texture found on antique silver pieces.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: 11” x 8” x 6”
The faucet is manufactured in stainless steel using additive manufacturing.
TAGS: 3d printing, luxury faucet, sink faucet, additive manufacturing, bathroom faucet, widespread faucet, selective laser sintering, computational fluid dynamics, WaterSense
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: The objective was to explore the impacts of 3D printing on product development, manufacturing, inventory and customization. With a simple brief - Design something you can't make - the team found inspiration in everything from architecture to the world of nature. The results of this inquiry are three striking and entirely unique faucet designs. The faucets are hand-finished, so no two will be exactly alike, and they can be printed to order, eliminating the need for a costly inventory.
CHALLENGE: The design team aimed to take full advantage of the possibilities of 3D printing with the assignment to create a product that was not within existing manufacturing parameters. The goal was to design a range of creative and completely new faucet models that would not be made using traditional manufacturing techniques. The greatest challenge of the Shadowbrook design was the meticulous adjustment of the waterways to achieve the desired effect. The result is a triumph of Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) technology.
ADDED DATE: 2016-02-12 22:46:40
TEAM MEMBERS (5) : Jean-Jacques L’Henaff, Joe Ientile, Gabriela Ravassa, Greg Reinecker and Sara Salahi
IMAGE CREDITS: DXV by American Standard
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