We are a London-based product design and Industrial research consultancy focused on the trilogy of 3D digital design, new production processes and user experience. We have worked closely with large consumer brands innovation units such as Nike, Panasonic and Samsung to investigate the future of digital fabrication, autonomous design methodologies, co-design, object material optimisation and colour and finish. Key to our process is a focus on clients’ needs and vision, together with a deep understanding of new manufacturing processes and a particular focus on all forms of Additive Manufacturing technologies and developments. Please contact us for any further information >
Product Design
We design products from conceptualising to prototyping and manufacturing. Key to this process is a focus on the future user needs and clients vision, together with a deep understanding of new manufacturing processes and CMF (Colour, material & Finish).
We have developed a wide range of products using additive manufacturing, hybrid processes as well as mass production manufacturing. Products developed included mobile phones, shaving devices, footwear, jewellery, stationary and more.
Over the years, we have been working closely with companies’ R&D and business innovation units as well as product development departments. Clients include Samsung, Nike, Panasonic, Amazon and IDEO among others. More On Product design >
Generative Design & Structural Optimisation
Our Additive Manufacturing / 3D printing research and experimentation started in the late 90’s. We have many years of experience working with a wide range of SLS, DMLS, SLA and FDM technologies. Having tested most of the materials and manufacturing technologies in the market, we are fully aware of their durability and characteristics. We can improve performance and repetitive success rates through our digital design strategy and industrial approach.
Additive manufacturing lends itself to the development of fully optimised structures, allowing for significantly reduced waste and costs, together with the creation new object aesthetics. We have been researching 3D printed structure optimisation for close to twenty years.
The Osteon Chair, produced in 2004, is an object with an ‘intelligent’ bone-like internal support structure and was the first object produced with an optimised internal structure. At that time, we used a 3D AI algorithm that generated an optimised structural unit and we placed it within the object 3D voxel grid skeleton. Today we all know a similar technology called ‘Infill’ that is widely available within any FDM slicing application. The ‘Infill’ is a primitive repetition of the same unit within the object interior boundaries, and although very accessible and fast to compute, it is still very wasteful and is not considering the object loads conditions and 3D organic boundaries.
In a new recent research, we have been looking into the internal 3D geometrical growth of bamboo. Our focus is on a very fast growing breed called ‘phyllostachys’ that, depending on a variety of parameters, can grow extremely fast and senses its environment to correct and reinforce itself while growing. In collaboration with macromolecular and bio material scientists at KIT- Kyoto Institute of Technology D-Lab in Japan, we have translated the microscopic bamboo’s internal structure into producible 3D structures. Scaled-up by 3000% we can now study the natural geometric growth patterns of the bamboo, both in terms of its natural structural porosity and its geometrical growth intelligence. This new structure can be used for the creation of a wide range of objects, including automotive and aerospace industry as well as architecture and furniture. More On Generative design >
AM, 3D Printing & Hybrid Manufacturing
Our approach to hybrid industrial design is a blend of Additive and Mass Manufacturing (AM and MM). Our AM+MM strategy is a combination of mass produced product elements, that are designed to be highly durable, with additive manufacturing parts, that are personalised, recyclable or biodegradable and designed to have shorter product life. This sustainable circular PLM (Product Life Management) cycle enables greater design and production speeds, higher durability, recyclability and user personalisation over time.
A hybrid manufacturing approach can be used in a wide range of areas, from electronics devices to footwear design. We have been working closely with Nike R&D department on the analysis and prototyping of futurist and novel footwear scenarios, mainly within the fields of co design, personalisation and hybrid manufacturing AM+MM
Co Design
In the early 2000’s, Assa Ashuach developed the concept of Digital Forming®, a 3D software that enables designers to create ‘3D openness within safe bounders’. This software allows product personalisation and reconfiguration within safe user experience online, connecting the trilogy of user, designer and manufacturer. Assa founded Digital Forming® and UCODO™ together with a team from the fields of engineering, business and online marketing. The two London based companies where set to democratise the personalisation of everyday products
Since then, Assa Studio has used the technology in multiple projects, including retail product research with the backing of innovate UK. The Studio has used Digital Forming technology to create versatile products that can be reconfigured by the user within safe boundaries, such as the Hybrid mobile and desktop speakers, Helix bracelets and rings as well as the loop lights collection.
Colour, Material & Finish
Design research into human factors and users’ way of life are an essential part of our design strategy, alongside a deep analysis of the aesthetics and suitability of the products’ colour, texture, material and finish.
Our unique 3D design workflows and scripting are allowing us to control the interior and exterior of the virtual alloys including stainless steel, 18kt gold and industrial grade titanium. We are currently testing new soft materials with elastomer being extruded in a nonlinear way, using all 3 axis of our production robot. We use FDM to ‘weave and knit’ new soft textile like 3D patterns. We are regularly testing new colour combinations and post-processing techniques for polyamide nylon used in SLS.
Industrial Research
Our Additive Manufacturing / 3D printing research and experimentation started in the late 90’s. We have many years of experience working with a wide range of SLS, DMLS, SLA and FDM technologies. Having tested most of the materials in the market, we are fully aware of their durability and characteristics. We can improve performance through our digital design strategy and industrial approach.
We have been researching intelligent object optimisation for over fifteen years. In our most recent research, in collaboration with macromolecular and bio material scientists at KIT- Kyoto Institute of Technology D-Lab in Japan, we have been looking into the internal 3D geometrical growth of bamboo and their translation into producible 3D structures.
Bone Reconstruction & Maxillofacial
We have been working with surgeons on CT DICOM 3D translation for surgery preparations, bone design and bone reconstruction.
Economic & Social Impact
We are living through an era of economic and social transformation. This is due in part to the emergence of disruptive technologies that have started and are expected to increasingly disrupt employment as we know it. This, associated with the increased globalisation that has often resulted in the delocalisation of manufacturing jobs, has hurt traditional manufacturing regions across the developed countries. We believe that Additive Manufacturing presents a huge opportunities for countries to reclaim strong manufacturing leadership. Being at the forefront of AM technological developments that are expected to disrupt the whole industrial process will not only allow for the creation of new design and manufacturing jobs, but also the creation of a network of globally-connected local, small-scale industrial hubs.
From an ecological point of view, Additive Manufacturing uses strictly the amount of material needed for the production. There is therefore no waste, as opposed to traditional industrial techniques where material is cut, milled, sliced..etc.. in order to achieve the desired shape. Also, local production will mean significant reduction in the need for transportation.
Additive Manufacturing has large number of applications, from consumer products to the aviation and automotive industries, medical devices, architecture, bioprinting systems for organ transplants and more. A wide range of 3D printing machines and software are being continuously developed, their performance improving and prices becoming increasingly competitive. We have a strong understanding of the landscape of additive manufacturing technologies and applications, both in terms of technological development, prospects and commercialisation maturity.