Custom digital fabrication in industrial design

Abstract

Customization is a large field of business, ranging from low-cost custom designed t-shirts to the customizable interior of a luxury car. Even though designers are trained to develop aesthetically and functionally satisfying products, the sector of customizable products is growing with every new product that is released by large companies. The release of the iPad has fueled the development of many accessories that customize the iPad. The level of technology in digital fabrication is becoming more and more sophisticated and the price of the equipment keeps dropping. Since the first commercially available 3D printer was released in 1988 by 3D Systems, the technology has advanced and it is possible to by a DIY 3D printer kit for under $1000 from MakerBot Industries. The term digital fabrication is publicized as the next step towards fabricating your own products in your home and customizing them to fit your own needs. This new technology could change the whole way in which products are designed, manufactured and sold. Eventually, digital fabrication might change the way we consume products in the future as well as change the way designers work.