The team at ThoughtFull Toys is tired of “throw-away” toys: gadgets with closed play patterns that quickly bore kids and end up lining the bottom of the trash can. With the goal of creating a better play experience, which in turn will give toys a longer life, they’ve developed Modarri cars, the ultimate toy car experience.
Modarri cars incorporate true automotive mechanics, including steering and real suspension, with interchangeable parts, so kids can mix and match components for a customized look. The result is a toy car that combines the ultimate in driving performance with a fun off-track design experience.
But ThoughtFull Toys’ CEO David Silverglate and Chief Design Officer Brian Gulassa have their sights set even higher, and they’re excited about the new opportunities for design, manufacturing and customization that 3D printing enables. They recently sat down to discuss 3D Systems’ Continuous, High-Speed, Fab-Grade 3D Printer, a system that will make on-demand production of customized products a reality.
David and Brian see this production printer as a way to potentially expand Modarri’s offering by allowing kids to customize their own car parts online in the future. From a design standpoint, it would also allow them to create toys without worrying about the limitations of traditional manufacturing, e.g., tooling costs and injection molding limitations. For manufacturing, the power of fab-grade 3D printing would allow them—as well as product designers and engineers in a wide range of industries, from footwear to automotive to consumer electronics—to scale quickly, be more responsive to customer needs, and break free of minimum order quantities.
“If I wanted to make a new shape I would probably have to make an aluminum soft tool for many thousands of dollars,” says David Silverglate. “With a 3D Systems printer, if I have an order, I can print it. It’s that simple.”
Go to 3dsystems.com to learn more about our solutions and services.
For business development inquiries about the Continuous, High-Speed, Fab-Grade 3D Printer, click here.