Use cases
To enable the benefits of car part personalization based on digital manufacturing, customization software is vital. The automotive industry can enter into a new level of mass customization of car parts through the proprietary TwikBot software.
TwikBot is an end-to-end cloud-based kernel that integrates seamlessly into any business model and allows for 3D printed, highly customized pieces created through a unique product personalization experience. Twikit’s software enables the end-customer to personalize parts and products resulting in unique vehicles to an individual’s lifestyle and aesthetic preference.
A one-of-a-kind vehicle is created by personalizing interior parts and external design features, which is possible thanks to mass customization software and 3D printing technologies. Car configurators are set-up as virtual showrooms where products are completely customizable. The end-customer visualizes their self-designed part, and when ordered, the production file is automatically sent to the right production facility through the Twikit Live platform.
To make the use case of 3D printed customized car parts through an end-to-end digital workflow real, we focused on an exterior aspect of car design. Wheel blades are the most impactful visual statement and set the mood for the drive.
3D printed customized car parts bring a lot more to the table for car brands than on-demand and digital manufacturing, which ensures an automated process. These concepts, such as thoroughly designed and customized wheel blades, improve a vehicle’s performance without losing sight of efficient production processes, creative possibilities, and high-end aesthetics.
Using 3D printing as a manufacturing method facilitates a shorter production time and allows for faster iterations. It enables personalization through a digital manufacturing workflow powered by TwikBot that allows on-demand, high-volume production. Because the complete chain from configuration to the connection with manufacturing is digital, the mass customization operation is automized and easy to integrate into any business model.
More is possible with mass customization of car parts. Brands can add a new dimension to their product and increase the value of a luxury product through an improved and personalized customer experience.
Additive manufacturing allows the use of adapted materials for automotive parts that guarantee the same mechanical properties as with traditional manufacturing. This means that the quality is high-caliber while production is faster and more flexible.
The plastics (or metals) used for 3D printing are high-performance materials suitable for car parts and enable lighter structures thanks to the materials’ composition. Also, the creative freedom that 3D models free up allows for innovative designs such as lattices, decreasing the amount of material used and the part’s weight.
The car wheel blades designed by Studio Twikit are 3D printed in PA12 material on an HP Multi Jet Fusion. When printed, the blades are vaporfused, sprayed with car paint, and a protective layer of varnish.
Because 3D printing allows an automotive manufacturer to construct lighter vehicles, the end-customer can enjoy a more sustainable transport means. A lightweight car consumes less fuel or electricity which is important for electric car manufacturers working on battery autonomy. Thanks to the creative freedom that additive manufacturing provides, aerodynamic designs help further improve the car’s performance.
Because complex patterns and open structures are easy to customize, car parts achieve a different look when only a few parameters are changed. Additive manufacturing allows for endless personalization possibilities and design freedom for both car producers and end-customers. Each car can be unique and personal with customization integrated into the workflow.
The high-end aesthetic is achieved by finishing techniques such as coating, dyeing, vaporfusing, painting, or even 2D printing directly on the part. Thanks to the finishes, 3D-printed car parts blend in with the rest of the vehicle’s design, ensuring the components are coherent with the car brand’s vision and aesthetic.
Twikit technology does prevent parts from being over-modified with its customization software through pre-defined options. Because strength and performance are essential for automotive parts, every component (including the customization options) is assessed for its strength and durability.
Personalization and additive manufacturing for automotive can provide end-customers with a car perfectly adjusted to their lifestyle and taste. Do you prefer urban chic, or are you more of a racing fanatic? The customization possibilities are infinite with the right software and digital manufacturing flow. 3D printed customized car parts enable a new strategic route for automotive manufacturers and allow them to rise above competitors with a sharp focus on customer experience.
The production also benefits significantly from introducing 3D printing as a manufacturing technology. The automized digital production flow enables light-weight parts that ultimately enhance the car’s performance. In combination with the freedom to apply complex structures, such as lattices, 3D printing makes a sustainable car of the future with a high-end aesthetic possible.
Twikit pushes the boundaries of mass customization and solves the big problem of personalization in the automotive industry with a cloud-based, end-to-end software solution.
Do you want to capture the value of on-demand digitally manufactured, personalized products?
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In the past years, the orthotics industry is experiencing a shift towards additive manufacturing to increase efficiency and scalability. The previously labor-intensive creation process is becoming fully digitized and more sustainable with no waste and on-demand digital manufacturing. By using the TwikFit platform, it is possible to create sports gear and orthotic products such as insoles on-demand and at scale with less effort and in a smaller timeframe.
Discover the end-to-end digital workflow of custom-fit insoles from design to finalized product and the added value of mass customization for orthoses.
Renowned jewelry brands with stores worldwide are also looking for new (digital) experiences to offer their customer base. Before, customers prominently bought exclusive products such as jewelry pieces based on their preferences in-store. Now, e-commerce has made its name for high-value products. Improving the digital store experience is a priority for brands, even for those with an established presence in the world’s luxury shopping streets.
With the technological advancements in digital mass customization software and 3D printing, jewelry designers can combine traditional with digital techniques—both during production and customer touchpoints.
With the progress in digital tools such as online customization platforms, jewelers can offer personalized designs. They add value to their luxury products by providing a unique customer experience in the form of customization. The configurator can be integrated into their website or application and match their branding seamlessly.
When visiting a jeweler’s web-based configurator, customers can design jewelry pieces in the comfort of their own homes with just a few clicks. The customizer displays the changes made during the customer’s design process and lets them interact with the product. The final result is immediately visible to the customer. In other words, what you see is what you get.
Gregson & Buck is a men’s jewelry brand that focuses solely on customization. They design products that express the end-users’ personality. Assisted by the Twikit technology, they offer luxury custom groom cufflinks that can be personalized entirely using the configurator embedded into their website.
As you can see in the demonstration above, the customer can adjust font, characters, material and choose the engraving. If they wish, the two cufflinks can also have different monograms and engravings. It is details like these that improve the customer experience and add value to the brand.
Other significant configurator features that are valuable for the customer experience:
The digital customization platform automates the design process. On the back-end, software can automate production too. The configurator systematically sends production files based on orders to manufacturing.
The leading 3D printing technologies in jewelry customization are lost wax casting and metal printing. Both methods significantly decrease production time for custom-made jewelry. The time savings enable scalability and on-demand production.
Taking advantage of technology and switching to a digital business model has never been more straightforward and accompanied by many benefits. Custom-made jewelry requires less expertise, is time-efficient, and less prone to errors. For customers, it does not require patience anymore and several steps of revising the design. The configurator shows them the final product that they have created themselves.
Introducing digital technologies to the art of jewelry making lowers the threshold for both designers and consumers. It provides product and market opportunities to independent jewelry makers and a solution for those who seek a personalized piece to commemorate a memorable moment in their lives.
If you are looking to innovate and offer a unique customer experience while saving yourself from the intricate process of designing custom jewelry the traditional way, we suggest you go digital.
Do you want to offer a next-level customization experience and head towards a digital, on-demand production flow? Get in touch with us.
The traditional craft of making custom-fit orthotics is a respected but time-consuming and intricate process. If consumers desire an orthotic device, they must visit a professional clinic that spends up to days creating a device when made the traditional way. With the extensive manual work, it is quite a costly affair. In other words, the threshold to obtain a custom orthotic such as an insole, protective helmet, or hand brace, for example, is high.
Orthotics can prevent and treat various problems related to the musculoskeletal system, impacting the patient’s quality of life. That is why the accessibility of high-quality custom-fit orthotics is important. The commercialization of these kinds of orthotics does benefit not only the manufacturer but also the end-user.
The orthopedic and orthotic market slowly transitions to a digital production flow, replacing partly inefficient steps and labor-intensive conventional production methods. This is thanks to mass customization solutions, including custom design and order management software, becoming simpler and easier to use.
Moving towards a digital production flow is made a logical choice. It saves producers costs, time, and inventory space.
But how do digital technologies lower the threshold for the consumer? Because a device’s production can be completed within a few hours, and technicians save days by implementing additive manufacturing technology, the product costs less and is more affordable. On top of that, orthotic manufacturers can scale up while creating a one-of-a-kind (unique), custom-fit device every time around. Customers will receive a high-quality product that provides comfort and a precise fit.
In addition, 3D scanning technology is making vast steps ahead. It is an easy and fast way to obtain precise measurements for creating custom orthotics. The 3D scanning devices and tools continuously become more user-friendly and cheaper. This means that anyone can perform a high-quality scan anywhere, using smartphones, tablets, or mobile devices. Think of clinics where medical professionals perform 3D scans, and it uploads immediately onto the customization software platform. Or, think of opportunities in retail.
Considering customizable products are sought after, and customer experience is more important than ever, we also see the future of orthotics in a commercial retail environment.
The improved digital manufacturing flow ensures faster production and lowers costs. As a result, it opens doors to new potential customer bases by answering changing customer needs and offering more solutions for different people. It leads to opportunities, such as offering consumers a tailor-made solution for other purposes than medical treatment, including comfortable insoles made-to-fit for any shoe.
Due to the evolution towards completely digital production, which facilitates the availability and accessibility of custom-made orthotics, more people will be able and willing to buy those types of products. And where can you provide the ultimate immersive experience for those potential customers? In a custom orthotic (online-) store or clinic.
We envision the future orthotic point of sale as a design-focused store where customization and brand experience are key. The customer will go from performing a body-part scan to receiving their custom-designed insoles in a few days.
The idea of ‘showroom stores’ has been around for some time, but it is new and suitable for customizable products. The products are showcased digitally, you can customize your own product in-store, and it is delivered to your doorstep one or two days later. This concept’s value is that customers get to interact with the product and the brand during their visit.
Since 3D scanning devices are increasingly user-friendly, we imagine the next step being a semi-automated full-body scanner. As a customer, you step in, and the scanner scans the required body part, such as an arm, foot, or ankle.
The custom-fit product, based on the 3D scan, is then presented on a screen. The displayed configurator provides the customer with the opportunity to design their own custom orthotic device. Elements such as color, shape, structure, and text are customizable. The finished custom product is adjusted to the customer’s unique measurements and aesthetic preference.
The finalized orthosis is ordered in-store, produced at a local 3D printing supplier, and a few days later, it arrives at the customer’s doorstep, or it is ready to be picked up at the retail store—a smooth customer experience where minimal effort is required to obtain a high-quality custom product.
To manage production efficiently, we envision a centralized on-demand manufacturing unit. This unit would process the orders from all custom-orthotic retailers within a certain perimeter to minimize the ecological footstep caused by international transportation. Not printing the orthotics in-house or in the store also saves expertise and space, which can be expensive in inner-city shopping areas.
After purchase, the custom orthotic order would automatically be sent to the printing facility through order management software. Every production file is tagged with a unique ID number that is also printed into the part for optimal order management. It ensures a smooth digital production process with reduced lead time. When the custom orthotic is ready to be worn, it is directly shipped to the customer.
However, our vision of the custom orthotic in-store experience is not yet fully realized; some big players in retail are taking steps in this direction. Decathlon already offers a unique in-store customer experience in collaboration with Twikit. Customers can create their own custom handlebars to fit on their bikes in-store. The French sporting goods retailer (with their own additive manufacturing department) sees the economic and competitive value of customization. We predict more companies are soon to follow in their footsteps.
Because the lead time between order and finalized product can be decreased immensely, new opportunities arise for the custom orthotics market. The innovative technologies ensure customers can have a 3D scan taken, personalize the device and place their order all inside a store. Orthotic manufacturers can expand their customer base and explore new market opportunities, such as retail. If you ask us, it is the future of orthotics.
Twikit’s involvement with PortaPivot has led to yet another addition to their value proposition. PortaPivot differentiates itself through its innovative and patented pivot hinge system, Stealthpivot®. With the support of the Twikit technology, they also offer a valuable customer experience through customization.
When ordering a customized door or partition via the webshop, the product is delivered as a self-assembly kit with the appropriate hardware and installation accessories. The installer is PortaPivot’s most important client; they place the customized door or partition in the end-customer’s home. By manufacturing aluminum profiles for the client’s desired setup, PortaPivot delivers a smart and aesthetic interior door or partition solution for any professional.
A great advantage to the PortaPivot product range is that it is custom-made. With the Twikit technology support, PortaPivot offers professionals interior doors and fixed partitions, which are endlessly customizable.
The Twikit technology was applied to create a high-end virtual showroom based on the PortaPivot website’s design. It is completely integrated into the PortaPivot digital space, which adds to the branding and unique customer experience. The showroom provides visitors with the opportunity to create and design their own interior doors or partitions. You can custom order up to 40 different product types, with more in the pipeline. The Twikit technology provides PortaPivot the option to scale when more products are added to their custom assortment.
Each product has countless customization options based on parametric models. To make it more tangible (and we actually did the math), the PortaPivot 5730 interior door alone has 300 quintillion possible variations. These vary from alterations such as dimensions and color to pivot hinge placement, handles, and grid design, to name a few. PortaPivot’s clients can make the customizable door their own design or adjust it to their own customers’ wishes.
When visiting the PortaPivot configurator built by Twikit, you can notice small but significant details that improve the customer experience:
By adding details such as the option to set the measurements to the metric or imperial system, Twikit adjusted the configurator to the international market that PortaPivots serves. Anyone can visit the virtual showroom and become a PortaPivot client, regardless of where they are situated or local time.
On top of that, below the configuration window, a dynamic price appears. This allows the client to design a custom-made PortaPivot product while seeing the price being adjusted to the configured setup. Hence, the professional can mind their client’s budget while designing—an added value for professionals.
Twikit also assisted in the flawless integration of the customizable product range into PortaPivot’s pre-existing production flow through the Twikit technology implementation. The Twikit customization platform holds a rich set of features set to connect to a production flow. Thus, when an order is placed via the configurator, the Twikit software solution transmits the parameters in a structured manner. The manufacturing order contains all the necessary data for production and for managing logistics when sent to an order management system. As a result, Twikit ensures that mass customization is efficient and an added value for both provider and consumer. It allows PortaPivot to handle high-volume orders continuously
Consumers start their search for customization online. Therefore, it is important to create an online presence and a digital platform for your custom product. Together with Twikit, PortaPivot innovated and moved towards new opportunities in the market. They focused on offering a unique customer experience and adding value to their high-end product through customization whilst still serving an international market.
As customer behavior develops and people turn more to digital points of purchase, consumer-oriented businesses must adapt. They must revise and refresh their business model to fit new industry developments. Implementing an online platform for product customization and switching to a digital manufacturing flow is a valuable solution. With Twikit technology, tapping into custom-products and offering more value to your customers is a logical and simple step. The software can be adjusted to fit your existing supply chain, or the Twikit solutions can assist with the shift to an efficient and cost-effective digital production flow. There is a solution for every business model. Let’s make everything personal.
Do you want to offer a next-level customization experience and head towards a digital, on-demand production flow?
Get in touch with us.
