- A device that fosters an online social community in the physical world
With the new Facebook Counter, you will love when someone likes your page. Three innovative creators designed a physical way to represent your Facebook likes. They founded Smiirl, a promising French Startup.
Like all great ideas-makers, they needed a prototype before it could get started – and Sculpteo’s 3D printing service (www.sculpteo.com) answered the call. We had the chance to meet Romain, one of the cofounders of Smiirl. Read on to discover how 3D Printing and our services played a key role in developing the first Facebook Counter.
The idea behind this great project was simple but innovative: create a device that fosters an online social community in the physical world. Romain explains that, “While big brands can afford huge advertising campaigns to get more likes, local businesses can’t.
The Fliike instantly displays Facebook page metrics, via a flip-board type display. Therefore, it’s totally possible to create entirely new kinds of communication operations.” It thus provides a bridge between a venue’s virtual presence and its physical one. Smiirl’s designer already had an understanding of 3D printing. He knew it was the best solution for their prototyping needs.
The team found that Sculpteo’s polyamide material fit their needs perfectly. The Printing Resolution of 100µm for regular prints can be reduced to just 60µm after activating Batch Control Tool. Polyamide’s strong and flexible consistency is ideal for prototyping mechanical and interlocking creations, which Smiirl was able to fully capitalize on.
Romain further explains the utility of Sculpteo’s plastic, “3D printing those pieces enabled us to test them out, and refine them as best as possible. Thus, when we ordered our plastic molding, we were entirely sure about the product we’d get.”
But it’s not only Polyamide’s mechanical properties that enticed the Smiirl team: its finishes were also fine enough to make the visual prototype. In fact, any Sculpteo polyamide can be polished, double polished or dyed in 11 different colors. Moreover, once you get your polyamide 3D Print, anyone can apply their own finishes on it. It’s easy to paint or even varnish plastic prints.
Romain continues, “Sculpteo’s services, and their quick delivery time helped us validate all the details about our product. A startup such as ours can then quickly launch their product. This way, we initiated production in record time”. The production has now started, and the Fliike is sold directly on Smiirl’s website.
About Sculpteo
Sculpteo is an online 3D printing service based in San Francisco and Paris. They are one of the world’s largest 3D printers, offering on-demand 3D printing of individual products as well as short-run manufacturing. They have 45 materials, colors, and finishes available, plus superior file analysis and repair. Their factories use only professional printers and provide fast turnaround with worldwide delivery. Sculpteo was founded in 2009. For more information please visit: www.sculpteo.com
