Welcome to our Layer Logic: 3D Printing meets Creativity by Makelab— Unleashing Innovation at IDC 2024, Austin TX.
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Dive into the details of the Layer Logic Design Challenge! This guide lays out everything from design constraints and DFAM guidelines to deliverables and judging criteria.
Competition participants must create a flat-pack stool using only PLA, incorporating innovative joinery for tool-free assembly.
1. Design Specifics: Your submission must be designed for additive manufacturing using only PLA material. Ensure your design is optimized for 3D printing.
2. Assembly Requirements: The design should be flat-packed, requiring no additional hardware or tools for assembly, utilizing only PLA.
3. Color Options: You may use up to two colors per design. The available colors are white, black, and gray. Possible combinations include all white, all black, all gray, white+black, white+gray, and black+gray. More specific colors may be specified in the renders, but only these colors may be used in the prototype.
4. Size Constraints for Parts: Each individual part of your design must fit within a 14 x 14 x 14-inch build volume. Single parts may be split and put back together, however this must be factored into the engineering and not affect the stability of the stool.
5. Overall Size Limitation: The complete assembly of the stool must not exceed 18 inches in height.
6. Weight Capacity: Your design must support a minimum weight of 180 lbs.
7. Infill Specification: The infill percentage for your design should not exceed 30%.
1. Material Specification: Use only 1.75mm PLA filament for your designs.
2. Printer Capacity: Ensure your design fits within the maximum build volume of the XL Prusa, which is 355 x 355 x 355mm.
3. Joinery Techniques: Design mating parts that fit together well. Remember to include proper joinery methods in your submission.
4. Tolerances: Account for manufacturing tolerances to ensure parts fit together as intended.
5. Orientation: Consider the orientation of the part during printing to minimize the need for supports and maximize structural integrity.
6. Supports: Strategically plan where to place supports to prevent overhangs and ensure easy removal without damaging the part. Avoid areas where support scarring could compromise the design.
7. Dimensional Accuracy: Keep in mind the limitations of FDM printing for maintaining dimensional accuracy.
8. Material Behavior: Design with material expansion and shrinkage in mind to ensure the final dimensions are accurate.
9. Build Plate Preparation: Leave a border around the build plate to avoid the model sticking too close to the edge, ensuring stability during printing.
10. Surface Area Considerations: Maximize the surface area in contact with the build plate to enhance stability during the printing process.
11. Multi-color Designs: For multi-color prints, design each color area as a separate body to ensure precise color alignment.
12. Exporting Designs: When exporting your files, maintain the position to ensure the alignment of multi-part or multi-color components remains consistent.
1. 3D Model Formats: Submit your 3D models in STL, STEP, or OBJ formats. Ensure compatibility and precision in your submissions.
2. File Organization: Provide one file that includes the full assembly of your design. Additionally, export all individual bodies as separate files without altering their positions to maintain alignment.
3. Context Renders: Include up to five JPEG images showing your design from various angles to give context and enhance understanding of your submission.
4. G-code Submission: Provide the G-code of your model slice to specify the orientation of printing, infill rate, and types and locations of supports. This helps in understanding your choices for print preparation.
5. Title and Description: Clearly title your submission and provide a detailed description of the stool design, emphasizing unique features and design rationale.
1. Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM):
- 3D Printing Efficiency: Is the design optimized for 3D printing with minimal material waste and print time?
- Post-Processing: Assess the ease and time required for post-processing. Is the design suitable for mass production?
- Material Usage and Print Time: Detail the total print time and material usage for all components.
2. Manufacturing Capacity:
- Printer Capacity Utilization: How many parts of the product can fit in one printer, and how many printing sessions are needed per product?
3. Functionality and Market Fit:
- Multifunctionality: Does the design serve more than one purpose?
- Market Niche: Is the product designed for a specific or broad market? Does it address a unique or general need?
4. Context and Market Value:
- Versatility: Can the design be used in multiple spaces or aesthetics, or is it tailored for a unique setting?
- Target Audience: Is the design intended for the general population or a specific demographic group?
5. Assembly and User Experience:
- Joinery and Assembly: How intuitive and efficient is the assembly and disassembly process? Does the design effectively flat-pack?
- Ergonomics and Appeal: Is the stool ergonomically designed to be comfortable and appealing? Consider if the design is thought-provoking, comforting, intriguing, nostalgic, or visionary.
Explore critical dates and milestones for the Layer Logic Design Challenge. Ensure you're prepared for each phase, from submission to judging, at the 2024 IDC & Education Symposium in Austin, TX.
Get to know the esteemed panel of experts who will be evaluating the submissions for the Layer Logic Design Challenge. Our judges bring a wealth of knowledge from the fields of design, engineering, and 3D printing to ensure a fair and inspiring competition at 2024 IDC & Education Symposium in Austin, TX.
Katie’s career started at Kids2 where she designed for Bright Starts, Oball, and later led infant toys for Baby Einstein and play gym innovation. After relocating to NYC, she worked at Pollen Design partnering with Jane West to redefine cannabis products for women.
When Katie joined BARK in 2017, her designs quickly established a point of view and design standard within the pet industry. This point of view helped create the Super Chewer brand, growing its DTC base rapidly and expanding to retail placement. The brand’s success led to building and overseeing a focused Industrial Design team to continue the push for innovation, aesthetic, story, and play through award-winning designs.
Katie is now a Senior Industrial Designer for frog to dive deeper into research, design strategy, technology, brand creation, and UI/UX considerations across multiple product categories and clients. By night, she continues her passion for toy design and illustration.
Anthony Villanacci brings over a decade of experience in industrial design, expertly balancing innovative creativity with practical implementation. His work, characterized by a meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to collaborative development, revolves around creating solutions that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound.
Currently, as a Freelance Industrial Designer in Austin, Texas, Anthony specializes in high-end furniture and home goods, applying his design philosophy of 'form follows function' to ensure that each piece is not only visually striking but also perfectly suited to user needs. His process includes extensive market research, ideation, and advanced prototyping techniques to meet stringent quality standards.
Previously, Anthony managed a significant residential construction project at Pilgrim Building Company and developed flagship seating projects with Herman Miller. In these roles, he emphasized the importance of integrating cutting-edge manufacturing methods and materials science to enhance product functionality and user experience.
Manny Mota, Co-founder and COO of Makelab, has been instrumental in establishing the Brooklyn-based company as a leader in on-demand 3D printing services for parts and prototypes since 2017. Leveraging his extensive background in product design and development from Pratt Institute, Manny has positioned Makelab as a critical partner for agencies and brands such as Doris Dev, PENSA, Interwoven Design Group, Estee Lauder, and Judith Leiber, ensuring agile product development while maintaining high-quality standards.
In his educational roles, Manny served as an Adjunct Professor at Pratt Institute, where he guided students in creating innovative, full-scale prototypes. His teaching focused on empowering students to blend creativity with practicality, aligning with his professional ethos of functional and aesthetic design.
Earlier in his career, Manny designed athletic footwear for FILA, where he specialized in cross-training and running shoe categories from 1995 to 1997. This role underscored his ability to merge design appeal with functionality—a principle he continues to champion at Makelab. Manny Mota's career reflects a deep commitment to advancing industrial design, emphasizing practical innovations that meet real-world needs.
Christian Stolarz is a visionary design leader with over 15 years of experience in leading global corporations and design consultancies. His impressive portfolio includes the submission of over 30 design and utility patents and the development of more than 50 commercially successful products and product families across various categories. Christian's deep creativity and strategic acumen have been pivotal in driving innovation and market success.
Passionate about crafting meaningful product experiences at the nexus of the physical and digital realms, Christian excels in using consumer insights, business needs, and technological feasibility as the foundation for his designs. He is exceptionally skilled in leading multidisciplinary teams, ensuring seamless collaboration to deliver design visions and objectives that resonate with both internal stakeholders and external clients.
As a strategic leader, Christian is adept at guiding the entire design process from consumer research and opportunity identification through to strategy, concept development, and final design implementation. His approach to design is deeply rooted in solving complex problems through an iterative and collaborative process, making him a valuable leader in any innovative enterprise.
Joey Zeledón is a designer who helps objects find their purpose in life. They do this by creating aspirational narrative identities – sticky stories that drive meaning – for object archetypes. Is it just a printer? or could it be furniture that prints? Is it just a coffee maker? or could it be a barista in your kitchen? Is it just a clothes hanger? Or could it be a closet you can sit on? In 2022, they founded a design studio based on this approach, creating purposeful objects for people and market differentiation for clients. Prior to starting their own studio, Joey brought dozens of products to market from shoes and furniture to housewares, consumer electronics and consumer packaged goods during their 15-year career working for Clarks, Continuum, Smart Design, Steelcase and HP. Their designs have won 40+ awards and have been featured in leading publications. Joey is a proud RIT alum.
Winners of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will receive prestigious prizes, with special recognition for the top 10 participants on Makelab and IDC's platforms. Showcase your talent and earn a highlight at the IDSA International Design Conference & Education Symposium.
Discover the Resources and Collaborations Driving the Layer Logic Design Competition.
Join us in Austin, Texas, from September 11-13, 2024, for the IDSA International Design Conference & Education Symposium.
As the premier industrial design event of the year, this annual gathering is a dynamic celebration of innovation, community, and the transformative power of design. Embrace the 2024 theme of “Design Disrupted: Shaping the Future of Design” as we navigate global disruptions and envision the future of our industry. Don't miss your chance to be part of this immersive experience where designers, innovators, and thought leaders converge to propel the future of design.
Ready to showcase your skills? Apply now to participate in the Layer Logic Design Challenge at the 2024 IDC & Education Symposium.
Have questions or need more information? Don't hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you navigate your entry and ensure you have all the information you need to succeed!
