The collection of 3-D printed metal bathroom sink faucets from DXV by American Standard was recognized with a Best of BDwest Product Design Award at the annual trade fair hosted by Boutique Design. This competition honors designers and manufacturers of goods demonstrating progress in aesthetics, functionality, and most importantly, innovation in their product category.
These 3-D printed faucets were also recognized for their styling and operational innovation by the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) as their 2016 Best of Show Gold winner in the Bath category.
The DXV Vibrato, Trope and Shadowbrook faucets are the inaugural collection of 3-D printed metal faucets created using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), an additive manufacturing process. While this technique has been used to create plastic prototypes for years, these are the first ready-for-market residential faucets printed in metal. This 3-D printing process enables avant-garde methods to present water and completely redefines the user experience when turning on a faucet.
“DXV strives to offer a broad portfolio of luxury bath products that are ideally suited to design-oriented hospitality spaces, so this acknowledgement from Boutique Design is very meaningful to our organization,” says Steven Delarge, CEO and president of LIXIL Water Technology Americas, the global business unit under which DXV and American Standard operate. “This 3-D printed faucet collection is a real game-changer in our industry. We are very proud of this well-deserved recognition for these innovative faucets and our extremely talented product design team.”
The faucets are printed using a computer-guided laser beam that fuses powdered metal into the desired shape with high heat and pressure. A solid metal block gradually arises out of the powder, and is then hand-finished to smooth extraneous metal and reveal the design. In a revival of the tradition of bespoke craftsmanship, each faucet is then hand-finished by an artisan who gives it a rich, fine patina feel that mimics the texture found on antique silver pieces.
Award winners were announced at the BDwest show in Los Angeles. Accepting the award on behalf of American Standard Brands were Mark Glennon, regional projects manager, Southwest region; Jennifer Humphrey, U.S. director of hospitality; and Carmen Mikelatos, project sales, Southern California/Southwest.