Design Engineering with 3D Printing
Assembly inconsistencies were creating challenges with our aluminum rod connections. Small variations in rod tolerances caused fits to range from overly tight to loose, impacting both product quality and the assembly experience. Rather than treating it as a manufacturing issue alone, I saw an opportunity to create a more resilient design solution.
I designed flexible, 3D-printed fins that could compress and adapt to dimensional variation, creating a consistent and secure fit across a range of tolerances. The solution reduced wobble while making assembly easier and more intuitive, demonstrating how thoughtful details can improve both manufacturability and user experience.
To maximize impact, I incorporated the fin design into our CAD library as a reusable component. The geometry was optimized to print without supports, improving manufacturing efficiency and scalability. The solution has since been implemented across all floor and table lighting products that use rod assemblies, creating a consistent system across the product line.
Leave-in Supports for Diffusers
Designing diffusers required careful consideration of both manufacturability and lighting performance. The Drops floor light diffuser incorporated multiple parallel overhangs that seemed to require support material during printing. Yet support structures risked degrading surface finish, and dividing the diffuser into separate pieces would have added cost, disrupted the clean design language, and introduced seams that cast undesirable shadows. The challenge became finding a way to preserve a seamless form while maintaining print quality and the intended lighting effect.
To solve this challenge, I reengineered the diffuser using a double-wall construction that improved light diffusion while minimizing visible shadowing artifacts. I also developed a series of optimized overhang geometries that stayed within printable limits, allowing the part to be produced cleanly without removable support material. To reinforce the top flat rim, I integrated thin structural fins as intentional leave-in features, preserving both strength and printability. This solution maintained the original design vision while reducing manufacturing complexity, improving surface quality, and delivering a cleaner visual and lighting experience.
Because the fins remained as permanent features, I initially explored multiple concepts that could aesthetically complement the design if they became visible through the diffuser. After iterative prototyping and testing, I landed on 0.8 mm fins that became effectively invisible when illuminated, eliminating visible shadows while maintaining the structural support required for clean, support-free printing.
