14 DAY TRIAL // 3D printing has well and truly become well known around the world. HP joined the market not long ago and even president Obama got his portrait 3D printed recently. Now, home appliance makers are adding their endorsement.
And what better way to endorse 3D printing technology than to create a product with specific spots where 3D printed accessories can be added?
Perhaps 3D printing the product itself, but top quality can't be guaranteed through those means just yet, not if conventional 3D printing is used.
However, permitting buyers themselves to build their own vacuum cleaner accessories is more than fair game. That's what the Air Cordless is all about.
Hoover launched Air Cordless vacuum cleaner
The upright vacuum cleaner has an extension wand designed to allow you to clean any nook and cranny, but no way to let you see said nooks and crannies.
To be fair, vacuum cleaners generally don't have flashlights of any sort, although there are some exceptions.
Knowing this, Hoover made it possible to 3D print a mount for a flashlight, with hooks through which you can loop rubber bands, letting you install any flashlight in existence.
The Hoover Air Cordless also has an extra LithiumLife battery. And since some customers wanted a way to always have an extra battery nearby, Hoover designed the mount to snap on to the upper portion of the vacuum cleaning wand.
The mount is compatible with the Hoover Air Ultra Lite and Hoover Air Pro vacuum models as well, not just the Air Cordless.
Availability and pricing of the attachments
Since you're supposed to make them yourself, you'll only need to worry about the filament, and the printer if you don't already have one. Unless you just order the accessories made by Shapeways or whatever other service is accessible to you.
Hoover made a deal with MakerBot to proliferate the models, which means that the mount made to hold the extra lithium battery, as well as the second one designed to serve as a mount for a flashlight, are found for free download on Thingiverse.
If enough people show interest during this pilot program, Hoover will extent the 3D printed attachment design elements to other products, and may be emulated by all other appliance makers.
“3D printing at home will offer unique opportunities for brands like Hoover,” the Global Vice President of Product Development for Hoover, Paul Bagwell, said. “We wanted to explore those opportunities early in the development of the technology. We are driven by innovation that meets consumers’ needs, and we are continually evaluating new technology that may help deliver this.”
