One startup whose journey we are genuinely proud of is Wise Smoker. It started with being good neighbours and grew into a working relationship. We watched them early on, fighting, pushing and working miracles all the way to success. We are very glad to have taken part and to have helped them with tips, introductions and, of course, printing their models.
Wise Smoker began operating in 2017 and has not stopped since. Their latest achievement was recorded only recently, when they reached the final of the international startup competition run by the retail giant Alibaba in China. The company also holds three registered patents on their distinctive technology, which delivers suction power while staying quiet and running smoothly.
The company has won a number of international awards and competitions, among them the Tel Aviv University startup competition, TAU Ventures. Beyond that it reached the semi-final of the eBay Startup Cup, the semi-final of StartupEast, and the final of Alibaba’s international startup competition.
The company holds a distribution contract valued at 10.8 million US dollars, covering a very large number of distribution points in the United States including 7/11 stores, at an annual supply of some 60,000 units a month. Locally the company has a distribution contract with Artos, the Israeli distribution giant, through whom the product is sold in the convenience stores at petrol stations across the country.
The company recently completed the sale of over a million and a half units of its products under contracts in four countries besides Israel: Russia, Ukraine, the United States and China. Another enormous achievement is the establishment of the company’s offices in China, funded in partnership with the Chinese government, to develop air purification solutions – a strategic goal there given the poor air quality in the country.
Supporting a startup over time is different from printing a single order. Along the way we printed successive versions of Wise Smoker’s models, and advised on adapting the file for production – where a wall was too thin, where a part was worth splitting, and when it was better to change technology.
The project was produced in MJF – Multi Jet Fusion, nylon powder printing. The part is built layer by layer inside a powder bed, with no supports, and the whole build volume is available for parts. That is what makes the technology suit small runs exactly: the chamber can be filled with dozens of different parts in one build, with no dedicated tooling to pay for.
The material is nylon 12 (PA12) – an engineering material with good mechanical durability, dimensional stability and an even matte finish. See more on choosing a material.
A product shown at an international competition or in front of an investor is judged on first impression. A prototype that looks like a prototype lowers the perceived value of the technology behind it. So the investment in finishing – sanding, painting, matching colours – is not a luxury, it is part of the product.
Send us a file or a description of the problem and you will get a recommendation on technology, material and timescale – talk to an engineer. See also product design and development and 3D printing production.
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