Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SVELTE (State-of-the-art solution for efficient manufacturing of complex geometry panels)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2020-01-01 do 2020-04-30
Svelte was created to address a clear challenge in the building and construction industry – ensuring and scaling the simple, steady and sustainable sourcing of surfaces for complex, resource-sustainable building façades designs using double-curved panels as building envelopes.
Finding a cost-efficient solution to create fluid, double-curved shapes has been the Holy Grail of architecture and engineering worldwide. The challenge is to bridge the gap between the advances in 3D CAD software in architecture and materializing these concepts is in practice in an affordable manner. The most commonly used procedures today are ineffective subtractive processes, by producing computer numeric controlled (CNC) milled moulds to cast the panels in it. On average, the cost of a complex shape panel is 6 - 10 times higher than that of a flat panel.
The Svelte solution – the fully automated production for unique curved panels, is something that was not feasible before. Svelte uses a proprietary, unique, innovative machine system to generate all types of curved moulds, in one straightforward operation, at a fraction of the cost and time of current methods.
Svelte is a game-changer for utilizing resources in the building industry, while offering structural resistance and elasticity, controlled thickness, weight savings and improved appearance of the façade and can be used directly on the walls as thermal insulator, rain-screen or sound absorber.
Svelte disrupts the CNC milled moulds process similarly to how 3D printers impacted the prototyping industry, radically reducing labour efforts, production times and costs while pushing the boundaries of what is possible today to change architecture as we know it.
The feasibility study as part of the Phase 1 project helped validate the viability of Svelte’s technology, the market acceptance and future market potential of our solution. Phase 2 promises a rapid commercialization and market reliability capacity of the Svelte solution in our target markets.
Finding a cost-efficient solution to create fluid, double-curved shapes has been the Holy Grail of architecture and engineering worldwide. The challenge is to bridge the gap between the advances in 3D CAD software in architecture and materializing these concepts is in practice in an affordable manner. The most commonly used procedures today are ineffective subtractive processes, by producing computer numeric controlled (CNC) milled moulds to cast the panels in it. On average, the cost of a complex shape panel is 6 - 10 times higher than that of a flat panel.
The Svelte solution – the fully automated production for unique curved panels, is something that was not feasible before. Svelte uses a proprietary, unique, innovative machine system to generate all types of curved moulds, in one straightforward operation, at a fraction of the cost and time of current methods.
Svelte is a game-changer for utilizing resources in the building industry, while offering structural resistance and elasticity, controlled thickness, weight savings and improved appearance of the façade and can be used directly on the walls as thermal insulator, rain-screen or sound absorber.
Svelte disrupts the CNC milled moulds process similarly to how 3D printers impacted the prototyping industry, radically reducing labour efforts, production times and costs while pushing the boundaries of what is possible today to change architecture as we know it.
The feasibility study as part of the Phase 1 project helped validate the viability of Svelte’s technology, the market acceptance and future market potential of our solution. Phase 2 promises a rapid commercialization and market reliability capacity of the Svelte solution in our target markets.
During the Jan 2020 – May 2020 Phase 1 project, we interviewed over a dozen experts and potential customers in the architecture, building and engineering areas and organized three pilots to gain a complete understanding of the Svelte solution’s technical acceptance, demand, willingness to pay, pricing validation, and expected conversion rates.
Svelte supplied ready-to-use moulds to cast complex shape panels on freeform curved surfaces to the University of Applied Arts and Institute of Architecture Vienna. The successful test proved that complex shape panels, with controlled infill structure can be cast accurately and with no need for manual labour, as opposed to current practices. Furthermore, customer interest and needs were validated during visits to key stakeholders one of which provided us with blue-prints and 3D files from a renowned architectural project that they have built. This input was used as reference for designing a new machine, with dimensions, capabilities and features suited for a real market project. Lastly, during the project Svelte was assisted at each step by experts from the INiTS's 100-day startup camp - DACH’s region No.1 Accelerator; and exposed to a wide range of potential investors.
Feedback to and reception of our solution has been sincerely positive throughout all projects. They provided us with sufficient data to create a development plan towards TRL8 and also generated relevant technical and user-related content. Willingness to pay, price validation, and expected conversion rates were demonstrated in each particular case. Phase 1 also helped validate the business concept by demonstrating the market need for our solution as well as evaluate the prospects for European and international growth, consistent with the commercialisation plans.
Svelte supplied ready-to-use moulds to cast complex shape panels on freeform curved surfaces to the University of Applied Arts and Institute of Architecture Vienna. The successful test proved that complex shape panels, with controlled infill structure can be cast accurately and with no need for manual labour, as opposed to current practices. Furthermore, customer interest and needs were validated during visits to key stakeholders one of which provided us with blue-prints and 3D files from a renowned architectural project that they have built. This input was used as reference for designing a new machine, with dimensions, capabilities and features suited for a real market project. Lastly, during the project Svelte was assisted at each step by experts from the INiTS's 100-day startup camp - DACH’s region No.1 Accelerator; and exposed to a wide range of potential investors.
Feedback to and reception of our solution has been sincerely positive throughout all projects. They provided us with sufficient data to create a development plan towards TRL8 and also generated relevant technical and user-related content. Willingness to pay, price validation, and expected conversion rates were demonstrated in each particular case. Phase 1 also helped validate the business concept by demonstrating the market need for our solution as well as evaluate the prospects for European and international growth, consistent with the commercialisation plans.
The ability to produce mould for complex geometries in one straightforward operation, by-passing existing technologies creates a new kind of commodity which will disrupt the entire construction supply chain and create new business opportunities.
The Svelte technology removes the established CNC milling technology from the process with the following advantages:
1. High production speed, up to 48 times faster than CNC milling. Svelte generates the final surface in a single pass, using the SmartWire to cut the mould on its entire width. Tests conducted on our MVP showed excellent results achieved at a speed of 2.3mm/sec which translates to a speed of 7min 30 sec/m.
2. Low moulding cost due to significant time saved to generate the mould. The projected cost for moulds produced with Svelte technology is up to 65% lower compared to CNC milled moulds.
3. Constant speed of production that is not dependent to the geometric complexity. This unique feature leads to predictable production times and costs, while eliminating the risk of design feedback loop.
4. Eliminates design feedback loop risk, by providing a significant cost-effective method of production.
5. Smooth finish. The nature of the Svelte technology leads to a smooth, closed cell surface finish. As CNCs machines use fast spinning drills to mechanically mill EPS moulds, they often rip the cells leading to a poor surface look, that can be improved in post-processing at an added cost.
6. Svelte technology produces freeform shapes of any length as the material is pushed through the SmartWire and the shape is produced continuously. This feature makes it a candidate for off-shore wind blade production, where the entire blade represents a monolithic double curved surface.
In comparison with a traditionally-produced, state of the art CNC machine mould, the total equivalent output of a Svelte machine is equal to approx. 48 CNC machines.
The Svelte technology removes the established CNC milling technology from the process with the following advantages:
1. High production speed, up to 48 times faster than CNC milling. Svelte generates the final surface in a single pass, using the SmartWire to cut the mould on its entire width. Tests conducted on our MVP showed excellent results achieved at a speed of 2.3mm/sec which translates to a speed of 7min 30 sec/m.
2. Low moulding cost due to significant time saved to generate the mould. The projected cost for moulds produced with Svelte technology is up to 65% lower compared to CNC milled moulds.
3. Constant speed of production that is not dependent to the geometric complexity. This unique feature leads to predictable production times and costs, while eliminating the risk of design feedback loop.
4. Eliminates design feedback loop risk, by providing a significant cost-effective method of production.
5. Smooth finish. The nature of the Svelte technology leads to a smooth, closed cell surface finish. As CNCs machines use fast spinning drills to mechanically mill EPS moulds, they often rip the cells leading to a poor surface look, that can be improved in post-processing at an added cost.
6. Svelte technology produces freeform shapes of any length as the material is pushed through the SmartWire and the shape is produced continuously. This feature makes it a candidate for off-shore wind blade production, where the entire blade represents a monolithic double curved surface.
In comparison with a traditionally-produced, state of the art CNC machine mould, the total equivalent output of a Svelte machine is equal to approx. 48 CNC machines.