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It’s often been said in recent years that 3-D printing will be the next big disruptor in the design and construction industry. Architects, engineers and designers are already turning to revolutionary, additive manufacturing processes to churn out tactile versions of CAD models in no time. Now, the potential to manifest real-life objects in this way is moving beyond architectural modeling, as the technology is harnessed for mainstay pieces of hardware for the home, as well.
American Standard is one company that’s pushing the boundaries of 3-D printing with the future of faucet design. Over the past several years, they have created three unique metal faucets for their luxury DXV line using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) — a machineless method that gives way to complex and integrated features on standard objects. These designs, while pricey, unveil the probability that 3-D printing has a place in the creation of everyday household products.
Because the faucet is where our basic need for water connects with our basic need for shelter, why can’t the modern-day faucet be as innovative and beautiful as the building it lives in? That’s the thinking behind Vibrato, Trope and Shadowbrook, DXV’s collection of 3-D-printed metal faucets, which debuted at last year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show.
While the body of the traditionally made faucet is typically made of multiple metals, DXV’s faucets are made from a single homogenous material, making them just as enduring and leak-proof as their predecessors. This is thanks in large part to the precision of the DMLS manufacturing process, which was originally used in the aerospace and medical industries for creating complicated tools and parts. This technique reduces up-front fabrication costs and allows the easy production of new designs within industrial manufacturing. Without the need for molds or traditional machines, the process from first sketch to final product is much quicker.
DXV’s Shadowbrook faucet is being printed out of metal powder; image via Metropolis
To construct the detailed shapes of DXV’s designs, a shallow layer of metal powder is spread over the printing bed as a computer-guided laser beam melts the powder under high heat and pressure into a solid block. This takes several hours as individual cross sections of the design are sintered at 40 microns per sweep of the powder. Once printed, the product is hand-finished to reveal its final form and smoothed by a manual “butler finish” named after the soft patina that develops on antique silvered appearance. In all, it takes 24 hours to create one of DXV’s 3-D-printed faucets.
An artisan finishes a faucet by hand that’s just been printed; image via Metropolis.
Like traditional designs, each of these faucets features an 8-inch core and a ceramic disc valve cartridge — a characteristic of American Standard. They also individually produce a maximum flow rate of 1.2 gallons per minute and meet WaterSense certification under the Environmental Protection Agency, using 45 percent less water than standard faucets.
What’s most impressive about these faucets, however, is the insanely intricate design behind each one and how they present water in an avant-garde way.
Diagram via www.3Dders.org
Vibrato, the more decorative faucet, features a lightweight latticework with multiple waterways that weave together to form a unified, conventional aerated flow. Trope, the elegant and more traditional design, is expanded from the core with four divergent waterways that return to form a single spout.
Diagram via www.3Ders.org
Lastly, Shadowbrook — perhaps the most daring design of the three — features a minimalist aesthetic, its cascading core mimicking natural forms. The faucet is designed using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technology to include 19 separate waterways that individually pour out water, highlighting its play and dynamism. The unique design produces a gentle flow that resembles a babbling brook.
Diagram via www.3Ders.org
These faucets display the power and process of 3-D metal printing at its finest. As an object that we touch every single day, a faucet like this — with such unmatched design — has the potential to be the most radical tool in our home. A faucet is a water-giving device in its most basic and familiar form, but behind the design, it can be so much more.
Architizer's A+Product Awards is open for submissions, with the Extended Entry Deadline fast approaching on Friday, February 23rd. Get your products in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.
