Bike lighting systems manufacturer Supernova have upgraded their production & design process with the fifth generation Makerbot Replicator.

3D printers are gradually freeing themselves from the limited application of basic prototype development. They are now becoming multi-purpose machines that can be used to produce new designs, help teams test modifications, and eventually build the final design of the product. This all-in-one functionality makes 3D printing more cost efficient and thus more attractive to companies.

Germany-based Supernova, a designer and manufacturer of powerful lighting systems for bikes, has successfully boosted their production by implementing a fifth generation Makerbot Replicator 3D printer into their production workflow. The company reps report a cut in production times of up to one third, and that’s only one of the many perks that came with the 3D printer. {via tctmagazine.com}

Applying 3D printing to every stage of production

Supernova uses the Replicator in every stage of its production process, enjoying an expansion of possibilities in prototyping, form testing, and final design development. The company is producing and testing one prototype per day, increasing their production cycles and enhancing their capacity to respond quickly to new market demands.

The company’s main products are high-quality bike lights that utilize powerful CREE LEDs to brightly illuminate the way in all-weather conditions. The frame is made of lightweight aluminum and contains high-grade electrical components. The best fitting for those elements can be thoroughly researched and tested thanks to the models that pop out from the Replicator every day.

There’s another step for Supernova in regard to 3D printing, and that is to use the technology for the production stage of the bike lights. Plastics, after all, are durable, light, heat and water-resistant as well, so a series of such products could hit the market soon enough at a tempting price.

The final advantage is “educational”. The company keeps its Makerbot on display in its R&D department located in Gundelfingen, and clients who witness the creation of prototypes on the fly are amazed, becoming further engaged and interested in Supernova’s products. {via Makerbot Stories}