Remember when everyone had an iPod? A Walkman? A Cassette player? Today, nearly everyone streams music or buys it digitally. Many of us have lost our physical connection to music, save for one format – vinyl.
Vinyl sales hit record highs in the UK in 2020, increasing by 10% over 2019. In the first three months of 2021, they grew 16.1% over the first three months of 2020, and sales are expected to smash records when the numbers roll in.
Physical innovation in music is slow, but Wilson Benesch, a family-owned British brand that specialises in the design and manufacture of high-tech consumer audio products, is creating vinyl turntables reinforced with carbon fibre with the help of Additive-X.
Paving the way with Additive-X
Wilson Benesch approached Additive-X looking for advice and support with 3D printing techniques. Following a consultation, we sent them samples of 3D printed parts made with the Onyx series, recommending Onyx + carbon fibre.
We worked with Wilson Benesch throughout the project, assisting with workflow to help them achieve the highest-quality parts possible.
Thanks to the Digital Forge, Markforged’s intuitive, AI-driven additive manufacturing platform, Wilson Benesch 3D prints complex, three-dimensional components that are lighter and stronger than machined parts.
Carbon fibre and consumer audio
When you hear the words carbon fibre, you probably envision Formula 1 or another exotic application. However, the biggest uses for carbon fibre are consumer products, with turntables an outstanding application, as Wilson Benesch has shown.
Wilson Benesch has developed a new turntable using 3D-printed carbon fibre components that are impossible to fabricate with traditional methods. Combined with a CNC Machine Suite, they are able to design and develop products in-house.
The GMT ONE System™ is launching in 2022, complete with carbon fibre parts 3D printed with Markforged 3D printers. It carries a six-figure sum designed for the most discerning consumers.
“Some of our new products wouldn’t exist without Markforged,” Craig Milnes explained. “Certainly, the GMT ONE System is the most ambitious product development pathway Wilson Benesch has ever committed to. Markforged is allowing us to develop advanced, high-performance structures and components to achieve new levels of performance within our products and bring them to market in a shorter time frame.”
With 3D printing cementing its place within Wilson Benesch’s workflow, it’s only a matter of time before more exciting carbon fibre products are created.
Find out more
As an authorised Markforged partner, we can help you adopt Markforged printers with full training and support. Contact our award-winning team on 01765 694 007 or email sales@additive-x.com to find out more.
