Japan-based KVK Corporation is a top manufacturer of faucet hardware used in unit baths, system kitchens and similar equipment. Over the past few years, KVK has enjoyed considerable success in using three-dimensional CAD/CAM to reduce the time needed for product development.
Now, facing steeply rising prices for materials, KVK has been forced to look for new ways to further cut back development time and cost. The company decided to leverage its initial 3D success by installing a 3D prototyping system, with the expectation that having onsite rapid prototyping capabilities would be cheaper and faster than working with a service bureau. Specifically, KVK looked for a solution that would enable them to do three key things: to build models earlier in the design process, to build transparent hollow models for water flow testing, and to use model materials that could be plated and painted to closely resemble the final products.
Benefits throughout the process Following a thorough market survey, with benchmarking of available options, KVK selected Objet’s Eden260™ 3-Dimensional Printing System. Within just a few short months of installing the system, KVK has integrated models produced on the Eden260 in every aspect of product development. The company reports that it is enjoying a shorter development period and a more efficient design process. Additionally, the whole development process is less stressful, due to the ability to test designs early on and frequently. This reduces the risk that costly changes will be needed at more advanced stages of the development process.
At KVK, checking the water discharge state of the product is an important step in the design process. Using a model built by the Eden260, water discharge can be checked easily and quickly.
“Conventionally, the subcontracted prototyping period was long and costly, hence it was not easy to check the amount of water discharge and the water discharge state each time the shape was changed,” said Mr. Yoshiaki Nachi, Deputy Manager of Product Development Sec.2 in the Development Division. “Since installing the Eden system, we are able to do an accurate and fast checking operation, and changes in the shape can now be efficiently examined at a low cost.”
Less cost, more efficiency KVK has not noticeably decreased the cost of prototyping, due to the fact that it now creates more prototypes per product. However, working with the Eden260 has cut the overall cost of product development – which is what really matters.
“Our manufacturing unit cost per model has now decreased considerably compared to when we subcontracted prototyping,” noted Mr. Nachi. “After installing the Eden260, a cycle was created of checking the model the day after the 3-D data is prepared, carrying out the water discharge testing immediately and molding again with the corrected data.”
“With the improved prototyping process, we can do continuous model verification. This has greatly improved our work efficiency, and it has reduced stress on our designers and planners. Now we can refine the shape before ordering the die, which means there are fewer die errors – which are expensive and time consuming to fix,” he continued.
Summarizing the Eden260’s impact at KVK’s, Mr. Nachi said: “The Eden260 is a first-rate tool that improves the whole product development process.”
At A Glance
Company: KVK Corporation URL:www.kvk.co.jp Location: Gifu, Japan Industry: Leading manufacturer of faucet hardware for baths and kitchens
Challenges
Facing steeply rising manufacturing costs, KVK needed to make up the difference by saving time and money during development
Solution
Build on success of existing 3-D design capabilities by bringing 3-D prototyping in-house, using the Eden260™ 3-Dimensional Printing System
Results
Shorter overall design time
Reduced development costs
More efficient checking of water discharge capabilities
Objet range 
