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54 DESIGN JUL/AUG 2024 FDM ASIA | www.fdmasia.com

simple assembly steps, even for children; and surface finish.
To fulfil the modern technologies stipulation, we employed
3D printing with starch-based, biodegradable polylactic acid.
The fundamental requirements comprised applying such

a colour scheme that could allow the customer to propose
further steps in agreement with the council-formulated visual
style manual. Regarding the selected base colours, these
subsumed blue and red, following the graphical layout of the
South Moravian Region’s logo.
polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS; PC) The structure and surfaces exploited commonly available
and alder wood, focusing on their impact toughness. materials, inclusive of the hardware and fittings, and the overall
In 3D printing, an essential factor rests in the typology aim involved eliminating hazardous waste at the manufacturing,
optimisation, assuming partial cutouts through a side panel of use, and disposal stages.

the component; the aim of such a modification is to reduce Considering the target application and the fact that the
the weight of the product while improving its economy and component is to be used by children, testing embodied a key
maintaining the physical performance. fabrication phase. We selected three fundamental tests, the
Regarding the impact toughness, Svoboda et al. propose assumption being that the cubes would not be regularly sat on.
that 3D-printed structural joints show values similar to those of The procedures were as follows:
solid wood (alder), expanding on the conclusions set out by • stability testing according to the Czech Republic standard
Tauber et al. within their rod connector designing experiment. ČSN EN 1022:2020 Furniture—Seating—Determination of

Interestingly, 3D printing also finds application in anthropometry. stability, Art. 7.3.1 Forwards overturning;
Based on the outcomes presented in the referenced studies, • static load on the seating surface to the standard ČSN
we then opted for the 3D-printed corner joint. EN 16139:2013 Furniture—Strength, durability and safety—
Requirements for non-domestic seating, Art. 6;
Multi-functional Play Cube • impact on the seating surface to the standard ČSN EN
Within the presented concept, we employed novel technologies 16139:2013 Furniture—Strength, durability and safety—
to produce a multi-functional play cube to custom specifications, Requirements for non-domestic seating, Art. 6.
as already mentioned above. In all of the cases, we relied on the services of the
The actual project, including the technical solution, drawings, accredited Testing Laboratory for Furniture, a division of the

and fabrication, had been ordered by the South Moravian Testing Laboratory for Joinery Products and Furniture.
Regional Council (Moravia, the Czech Republic), the basic When selecting convenient technologies to achieve the
material and structural requirements being as follows: an item goals, we opted for 3D printing (an additive technology),
fully usable by pre-school children, three to seven years of CO2 laser, and CNC machining. The last-named approach
age; play factors combined with a presentation of the region; embodies one of the most widespread procedures, with the
colours to specification; a share of recycled plastics (polythene; manufacturing tool movements being controlled by a pre-
polypropene; polyamide) and rubber; a sleek plastic corner compiled program.

joint to reinforce the panel edges; state-of-the-art technologies In wood and plywood, single and combined CNC units or
integrated in the manufacturing process; a firm structure and centres find broad application; the centres, by definition, are