New technologies such as 3D printing, VR design and most recent Generative Design are creating a new mind-set that as a designers and engineers it takes us time to understand the potential and fully utilize the new available tools.
Walking the other day into a high end Giant bicycles store and looking at the displayed variety I realized that all the technology for custom frame is already here and it’s only a matter of combining the technologies together in order to make it a reality available to the masses.
I’m highly interested in the scale up process, several leading product design companies and enthusiastic individuals already showed for example 3D printed bicycles frames but of course they created only single and extremely expensive masterpieces since all printed metal technologies are done by somewhat high end expensive machine and requires post processing (sintering).
The use of Generative Design was also displayed in the field of automotive, bikes and bicycles where high-end manufacturers are starting to integrate components during standard production although still low quantities.
Online libraries like GrabCAD , Poly and more are full of downloadable 3D models of bicycle that were design using VR headsets and controllers…now how we mix them all together? is the question
Of course it’s not a simple answer but all the blocks are already here including for example Greenroom scanning that is now available and cheaper than ever…see for example full 3D scanned model of Obama that was done in the past.
So what and why…or…what’s the vision.
Our anatomy and personal preferences are very different creating millions or billions of different design configurations of a single product or item but with today mass production technology that is based on the Industrial Revolution (1670-1840 and beyond) all we got is single version that by definition doesn’t fit most humans. In the other hand is an offer different process…
First step to get personal items for a single human is scanning the body, that can be done today in the convenience of your home using different methods (basically everyone that passes through modern airport post 9/11 is getting a very quick ta thorough body scan, don’t worry since this video the regulations changed). Step Two is to manipulate and use the scanned data to interface the product…bicycle in our case, this is basically a fasted and more precise process that taking bunch of critical body dimensions. Step three is the custom design that will allow maximum stretch of the legs, precise grips shape, minimum stress on the vertebra, minimum fatigue, better performance using a lighter frame and more.