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Focus Groups
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Overview
Focus groups are an important tool in the world of marketing, and are used by companies to acquire feedback on new products and other subjects. Companies in the process of developing, packaging, naming, or test marketing a new product can use these groups as a forum for discussing, displaying, and testing the product before it is made available to the public. This can provide invaluable information about the potential market acceptance of the product.
Objet customers commonly use focus groups as part of their marketing efforts. Internal research suggests that approximately 15% of Objet customers use focus groups, and use the respective, most commonly used application, to gain these results.
These prototypes are printed on Objet 3D printers, and, together with post processing such as painting, metal coating, and more, create a Printing Reality that gives a real "look-and-feel" of the end product. Instead of presenting a pre-series production part, which involves the creation of molds at extra cost, the focus group receives a model that accurately represents the final product and facilitates a better understanding of the product to be launched. Depending on the result of the discussion held at the focus group, the product is either further optimized or sent for production (or even scrapped).
The costs and time incurred are greatly reduced as companies can reach a far better understanding of their products prior to their launch in both a shorter period of time and at a reduced cost.
The following diagram depicts the focus group flow:
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Why Objet?
With Objet, you can “Print Reality”. This term is of central importance as it refers to the ability to create prototypes that accurately represent your desired end products.
Objet 3D printers enable you to use fine detail printing, smooth surfacing printing, good tolerance, and easy post processing such as metal coating, painting, polishing, and more to create true-to-life prototypes that are ideal for use in focus groups. With accurate prototypes, you can make crucial decisions early in the product development life cycle, and save both valuable time and costs.
In the Toy industry for example, focus groups with children are commonly used. For this reason, the 3D models need to perfectly resemble the end product. If a model is not smooth, or if the painting (color) is not perfect, a child in the focus group may not play with the toy for the wrong reasons (that is, not because the toy is bad, but because it looks bad). In such cases, Objet 3D models are an important tool as they accurately represent the end product and ensure an unbiased focus group experience.
The Alaris™30 Desktop 3D Printer is the only printer in the desktop product range that delivers true “Printing Reality”. By providing the quality required to print accurate models, Objet ensures you get the best possible focus group outcome.
Tips & Tricks
Getting the most out of a focus group depends on the quality of the printed 3D parts that are used. With the ability to "Print Reality" using Objet's 3D printing technology and simple post processing, you can easily create printed parts that accurately reflect the end product properties. Post processing is not complex and can be done by following simple instructions provided in the Objet Application Notes available on the Objet website ( www.objet.com).
Reference
Disclaimer
Objet Geometries Ltd. is not responsible for misuse of our products or their use in conjunction with unsafe or improperly maintained equipment or for uses other than intended as specified in this application note.
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