3D printing needs a re-brand

There is a stigma around 3D printing. Because it has been the maker of prototypes for so long - it’s got a reputation for being cheap, tacky, unfinished, rough or temporary. People have even told us not to mention that HI Jewellery is 3D printed because it sounds kitsch! 

It's time to change the perception of 3D printing. From prototypes to products.  From crude plastics - to - light, beautiful, incredibly strong metals. Modern 3D printing is available in almost every material you can think of; wood, ceramics, wax, paper, resins, sandstone, precious metals and more. 

3D printing, the modern manufacturing that's giving us the opportunity for a whole new future; Make to order. 

HI Jewellery's process - you order, we print and post. 

3D printing of consumable products is so new, it's ready for innovation. We're right at the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution and we're about to experience some incredible changes and advancements as a society. Virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, the internet of things (IoT), robotics, quantum computing, autonomous vehicles and 3D printing are all changing the way we communicate, do business and exist in our environment. 

Source: Gartner

10 years ago at university - we learnt all about what makes a good product, studied the great designers and made beautifully sanded and polished models to look like the real thing. An Industrial Design degree taught you all about manufacturing methods; vacuum forming, tooling, injection moulding, casting etc - all in the name of mass production. 

Then the 3D printer was born. You could make one for under $600. The Makerbot, a flat packed jumble of laser cut pieces, plastic cogs and some metal rods. 3D printing with extruded plastic. Crude, but magic. 

The maker bot's purpose was to be be able to 3d print itself. "RepRap" a machine that could self-replicate. 

Prototypes. Thats what the 3D printer started life as. 

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has the potential to help reduce landfill waste, curb pollution and limit energy consumption. Rather than carving products out of solid masses, 3D printing deposits precise layers on top of one another, thereby consuming far less raw material. World Economic Forum. 

How 3D printing is impacting our ecconomy. Source: World Economic Forum.  

Fast forward 10 years - and now we're making 3d printed personal products! 

Check out HI Jewellery's 3D printed Jewellery range > 

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HI Jewellery + NZ TechWeek

Amelia is presenting and exhibiting HI Jewellery at NZ Tech Week's Fourth Industrial Revolution event in Christchurch on the 25th May. We'll be showcasing soon-to-be released jewellery designs and talking about why "make to order" is the change the world needs, aaaaand announcing an exciting new digital feature for the HIJ experience! Cannot wait to share this with you!