Genmes: Prototyping and Manufacturing
“The N2 is occupied every workday.”
“With the N2 move in office, we set up a 3D project team to specialize in certain product types which can be well verified by 3D printed models. Right now, 1 printer seems to be not enough. We are fighting to place our tasks on the printer.”
Wang, Daiji
Product Designer
Shanghai Genmes Office Products CO., LTD. was established in July of 1995. With a manufacturing history of nearly three decades, Genmes is an established producer of a full range of office products and supplies including: staplers, hole punches, staple removers, tally counters, bookends, name card cases, pencil sharpeners, stamp pads, tape dispensers, and more.
Their 100,000 square meter production plant is the workplace for more than 800 well-trained employees and 150 professional technicians who specialize in design, mold making, production and delivery.
With their parent company utilizing a Stratasys system, the Genmes team was no stranger to the 3D printing and CAD/CAM world. With the new opportunities available in their CAD/CAM-equipped R&D center, the Genmes turned to the Raise3D N2 as the best option for their expanding business.
3D printed prototype assembled onto metal frome of stapler model.
Summary:
As an experienced user of 3D and CAD-based rapid prototyping, the Genmes team prepares their products in 3D before going into production. Their limited production space and high demands required an industrial-level system in a compact area.
By transitioning to Raise3D, the company was able to
- Speed up turnaround times by adapting an in-house printer.
- Utilize the limited space with the compact machine.
- Verify physical prototypes of their model prior to final production.
Company: SHANGHAI GENMES OFFICE PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
Industry: Manufacturer, Stationary
Interviewee: Wang, Daiji
Title: Product Designer
Process:
As an experienced user of 3D and CAD-based rapid prototyping, the Genmes team prepares their products in 3D before going into production. Their primary utilization of their Raise3D N2 involves printing their completed 3D models to test and verify the results before moving onto final production. Printer performance, accuracy, build volume, material compatibility and desktop size are all features that are required to excel in this field.
Detached prototype detailing the internal assembly features
Collection of completed prototypes.
Challenges:
An expansive brand and manufacturer like Genmes consists of products in over 10 different categories, and will offer hundreds of different product types. Operating at such a large scale, the production design and prototyping required is immense and production space is dense. Even leveraging the 3D printing system in the hands of their parent company, the Genmes team were unable to satisfy the speed and demand required for delivery. To satisfy their needs for an in-house printer, they required a system that could perform at an industrial grade and was offered in a compact size.
Solution:
By applying the Raise3D N2, they have been able to do business without the lengthy collaboration with their parent company for printing. According to the Genmes manager, receiving a printed sample from the parent company will typically be a 3 week process. This process includes shipment to delivery and technical communication for printing. With a printer in house, there is almost no lead time required to begin printing.
The accuracy of N2 enables the products functionalities by directly assembling the printed part with metal mechanism. Currently, the N2 has become a functional and integral part of the R&D department. Of the 19 people in the department team of 6 members are on the 3D project team and carry out all 3D printable rapid prototyping. The machine is regularly maintained and continues to look fresh and work like new after over a year of usage.
Genmes production team with their Raise3D N2