Replique & Siena Garden: 3D-Printed Spare Parts for Outdoor Furniture
It’s become a fact of life: your beloved piece of furniture gets worn down or breaks, but no spare part is available on request from the manufacturer. Annoying when the entire furniture would then need to be replaced—which is no good for the environment or your wallet. This is why the German garden furniture company Siena Garden endeavored to find a solution to this conundrum. Soon, spare parts from the 3D printer will be integrated into the aftersales business. To make this happen, Siena Garden is receiving operational support from Replique, a digital platform with which 3D-printed parts can be made on-demand. The joint venture aims to extend the service life of outdoor furniture by allowing worn parts that are subject to wear and tear such as joints or foot caps to be ordered as required. Customers should be given the opportunity to repair their furniture, which not only saves money—but also offers an eco-friendly alternative to replacement.
Replique is a company founded by BASF incubator alums, with the idea of digitizing spare parts and producing them on demand so that they are available anytime and anywhere. The company has previously partnered with home appliance manufacturer Meile for the distribution of 3D-printed accessories using Replique’s digital inventory system. Now Siena Garden also wants to incorporate the advantages of 3D printing for the production of spare parts for furniture into its after-sales business.
A new arm handle made of ASA can be 3D-printed if replacement is required. (Photo Credit: Siena Garden)
Digital Inventory of Spare Parts
Siena Garden is one of the market leaders in the sale of garden tools and outdoor furniture. With the sustainability initiative “mission less for more”, the company aims to include environmental and social standards in its corporate philosophy. Since July 2021, these initiatives have also included the use of 3D printing in various projects. For example, the company states on its website that it has already produced the first spare part for garden furniture from the 3D printer with the digital hub münsterLAND in order to complete a retailer’s exhibit and to increase its lifespan.
The partnership has already produced the first 14 spare parts, which can be ordered on-demand in the Siena Garden online shop. According to furniture sales, these are critical components such as foot caps, connecting parts, or moving parts. Replique supports Siena Garden in the evaluation of suitable spare parts and ensures that a digital twin is made based on technical drawings. As soon as a part is ordered, it is additively manufactured by the Replique network. Different polymers can be used as materials, especially those that are also suitable for outdoor use and can withstand UV radiation and moisture.
Foot cap “Fofana” made with the Forward AM filament “Ultrafuse® TPU 64D”.
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Cover Photo Credit: Siena Garden
