Workstation

When Formative 3D asked us to design a workstation, we jumped at the opportunity. While managing the progression of the sit-stand desk (link) and the rest of the private office suite furniture (link) towards production, we began full effort towards a suite of unique workstation style furniture that could be used on an open floor versus within an office. The request arrived with the same constraint as the office furniture: the main manufacturing method should be additive. 

The office furniture laid a lot of ground work in setting up parts and assemblies that were able to be reused for furniture. The key challenge was designing a wall system manufactured with Large Format printing. This required another research and exploration effort geared towards understanding features and printer capabilities that would allow us to design a sturdy, reliable wall system. With the help of our industrial design partner, Fahrenheit Design, two unrivaled, 3-seat workstations were developed. 

The design incorporates a hexagonal shape that carries into the furniture: an angled wardrobe, a cabinet with drawers and work surface, and a sit-stand desk. The ability to create angles and shapes that are not traditionally found in office furniture was well supported by the large format printers and supplemented by FDM printing. Alongside an artistic ambience coming from the printed layers, the walls contain replaceable panels, allowing for aesthetic design changes without requiring an entirely new system. The system also continues the quick assembly and disassembly characteristic allowing for the walls to be broken down and recycled or moved to a new location. 

The two workstation systems were developed in conjunction without delaying the continued progress on the private office furniture. This allowed the Formative 3D team to meet aggressive deadlines and support customer needs.