Sinterchair
Designed by:
Vogt O
Co-Designed by:
Weizenegger H
Designer:
Oliver Vogt
Co-Designer:
Hermann Weizenegger
Country of Origin (Designer):
Germany
Date of Design:
2002
Date of Manufacture:
2002
Decade:
2000s
Region:
Europe
Significance:
Laser sintered chair early 3D printed design, personalised
Manufacturer:
MGX by Materialise
Country of Origin (Manufacturer):
Germany
Material:
Polyamide
Process:
3D printed
Monobloc:
No
Cantilever:
No
Renewable Carbon:
No
ERPR Score:
NA
ERPR Rating:
NA
Weight:
Note:
Prospective purchasers are asked to complete a lifestyle questionnaire to enable the designers to tailor this chair to their specific needs. The questionnaire also encouraged buyers to choose between more directly relevant attributes such as; hard or soft, minimal or opulent, open or closed and to specify their height. In just 20 hours the designers promised to leverage cutting-edge technology, developed for the automotive and aeronautical industries, to create the world’s first 3D printed chair. The first Sinterchair was produced live at the Ambiente trade fair in Frankfurt, in 2002 and was followed by a limited edition, at 4,900 euros per copy.
In a process called selective laser sintering (SLS) white nylon powder was applied in a fine layer with a computer-operated laser used to cut out a thin 2D image, melting the powder which later hardens. Over time the 2D layers build-up to create the 3D chair. The chair was made in six parts (four legs, seat and backrest) as the, 500,000 euros, 3D printing machine could not accommodate larger items at that time.
The designers acknowledged the importance of the study of nature in calculating the most efficient way to produce the chair using minimal resources.
Image Credit:
Studio Oliver Vogt