3D printing has long been regarded as the manufacturing technology
of the future.
Components made via 3D printing have set new standards for premium
manufacturers in the automotive and aircraft industry.
In the sanitary sector, GROHE is now offering GROHE Atrio Icon 3D
and GROHE Allure Brilliant Icon 3D, two unique tap designs created using 3D
metal-printing.
GROHE, a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and
kitchen fittings has advanced its 3D technology process to meet the unique
challenges of metal printing, enabling a fascinating symbiosis of the latest
high-tech and skilled craftsmanship, which redefines the possibilities in
product design and creates individual statement pieces for the bathroom. GROHE
is shaping the future of water by applying the future of design, technology and
manufacturing into its product offering.
With the reinterpretation of the Atrio and Allure Brilliant
lines by incorporating the Icon 3D design, GROHE takes product design and the
joy of water to a whole new level.
Michael Seum, Vice President Design at GROHE AG,
emphasizes: “At GROHE, we believe that something completely new needs a bold
vision. What is possible or not possible becomes a question of perspective.
With Icon 3D we are opening up a completely new way of thinking about product
design in the future. We overcome boundaries by using 3D metal-printing to
create products that at first appear impossible. This production method offers
the option to design taps in small quantities according to the wishes of our
customers. There are no limits set for individual personalisation.”
GROHE’s 3D metal-printing process makes virtually any
geometry possible and invites us to rediscover materiality. By refining the
shapes to their bare essentials, the corrosion-resistant steel used as a raw,
and at the same time, highly castable material also comes to the fore in the
final product.
The reduction of the design and the emphasis on the pure
essence of the shapes not only saves valuable resources, but also offers a new
interactive experience of water. The ultra-thin walls of the GROHE Atrio Icon
3D and the hollow interior in the familiar silhouette of GROHE Allure Brilliant
make the water flow look like a magical, optical illusion. The taps of the two
lines thus become an aesthetic highlight, available in a brushed raw steel
finish.
Icon 3D combines state-of-the-art digital technology with
hand-crafted, proven GROHE quality. The components are produced by printing
metal, using a powder bed laser melting process. Each component for the tap
consists of approximately 4,700 layers that are each 0.06 millimetres thick,
providing it with forging strength. After printing, the component is
mechanically treated on a CNC milling machine, followed by a manual grinding
and fine brushing procedure as the last step of the finish. The elaborate process
defines the exclusivity of the Icon 3D series; each product is unique and the
collection is limited to a few pieces per year. Starting in April 2019, GROHE
Icon 3D will be available on request as an exclusive piece for the bathroom.
