Admittedly, Microsoft isn’t a new comer to the world of 3D printing. For the last 3 years, the hi-tech giant has used 3D printing to prototype their Surface tablets and X-Box controllers. To keep up with all of this prototyping, Microsoft has three 3D printers dedicated to its hardware design center.
At the X-Box One launch event, Microsoft detailed how their prototyping cycle works. According to the Next/Market blog, “The company can turn around up to two design cycle iterations in a single day. If someone had a design for, say, a new console controller at 8 AM, the 3D printing center could have a design prototype back by noon. If they got feedback within an hour, they could print a new design by 5 PM.”
While large mainstream companies have integrated 3D printing technology into their product design cycle I expect that in coming years we’ll begin to see companies really explore the boundaries of the technology. Rather than prototyping boxes that we’re all pretty familiar with, I imagine companies will begin using 3D printing to explore new designs, advancing our conception of what devices look like, and how they function in our homes.
Watch a Video of the X-Box One Launch:
Images & Video Courtesy of Microsoft