Are you sitting comfortably?

The way things are designed and made is changing. CAD (computer aided design) and 3D printing (also known as additive or digital manufacturing) aren’t new. But what is, is how accessible this technology has become.

Access to technology is revolutionising what’s possible, creating opportunities for innovation in any sector. Essentially if you can imagine it, you can create it.

And it’s a market that is expected to more than double in size within five years, reaching an estimated value of £28.4 billion by 2026.

It’s within this fast-moving field that Mark Chester, who completed an MSc in Digital Design and Manufacturing (formerly known as MSC in Industrial Digitalisation) at Manchester Met, now finds himself.

A love of design

From an early age, Chester made things.

“From Lego to K’NEX, I loved toys that allowed me to experiment and build,” he explained.

“As I grew older, I was inspired by great designers from history, engineers like Brunel who left  such a vast legacy in the UK. And for me, that was really a big driver. If I became a designer, maybe I could make an impact on someone’s life in a meaningful way – that would be my goal.”

Alongside his studies in Product Design at York St Johns University, Chester took a part-time job as a designer for a playground company. He posted about his design work on social media, which led to becoming a student ambassador for the company Autodesk, whose CAD software Chester was using.

He then applied to become one of their certified instructors which meant he could run training on their software at universities and schools around the country.

A playground for creativity

It was for one of these training sessions that Autodesk sent Chester to a brand-new centre for 3D printing – Manchester Met’s PrintCity.

“It was a completely unique space, like a playground for someone like me,” said Chester.

“So, when I found out they did an MSc course, I was immediately interested because I knew these technologies were becoming a big thing and I’d realised what I learnt as an undergraduate wasn’t enough.”

As well as the facilities and the teaching, the masters gave Chester a new network that he could learn from. “We had someone from business, another from textiles and we had engineers on the course,” he explained. “It gives you a fresh perspective on what you’re making.”

Chester was keen to create his own ideas, side projects developed from what he was learning on the course. A lecture on Generative Design (which uses a computer algorithm to produce ideas) sparked his interest and he decided to create something to showcase just what this technology could do.

Chester decided to create an everyday object using generative design that pushed the boundaries of what you’d normally expect. He chose a bench to sit on, one that was solid and reliable, but with extraordinary features.

The result was an intricate web of skeletonlike structures that supported the seat, off to one side instead of bearing weight at each end. It was something that could never have been designed by hand and the result was artistic, unique, and bold.

He 3D printed a small-scale prototype and shared it on social media, asking the question ‘which side would you sit on, and would you trust it?’

His idea attracted attention. Stephen Hooper, Vice President and General Manager of Fusion 360, the Autodesk software he created the bench in, commented, saying ‘We need to make this.’

This was the catalyst for a chain of events which, with support from Manchester Met and Autodesk, gave Chester the opportunity to travel to the USA to visit their headquarters in San Francisco and their design lab in Chicago.

Hooper explained: “When I first saw Mark Chester’s generatively designed bench, I was instantly impressed, not only with the level of creativity, but by the unique application of our technology to create a concept so different, yet so appealing.

“Great design challenges convention in an elegant way and there are few better examples than this.”

Autodesk contacted US-based company Aristo Cast who took up the challenge to create the bench, 3D printing it in sections.

New opportunities for Greater Manchester businesses

Following his success with the bench, and after graduating, Chester secured a job at Manchester Met, where he set up the PrintCity Network Programme which helps businesses of any size or sector in Greater Manchester to explore using digital manufacturing technologies.

As Product Development Specialist, Chester managed the creation of the PrintCity Network Space.

The ambition is to create new products, processes or services that are new to the company, but also hopefully new to the market.

“And then,” Mark added, “if they start to embed this technology, it might lead to the creation of new jobs, which is obviously great for the region and for providing opportunities for young people like me or those looking for a change of career.”

Potential, sustainability and opportunity

While no-one knows exactly where the technology will lead, Chester is excited by the possibility of 3D printing  houses, and even human organs or body parts, and about the potential for improving sustainability. For example, a PrintCity research project (CIRMAP) is looking at taking demolition waste and reprocessing it as concrete, via 3D printing. 

Great design challenges convention in an elegant way and there are few better examples than this

Chester believes going back to university to do the masters at Manchester Met was “probably one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.

“For me, going into work every morning is the best feeling because I don’t necessarily know what I’m going to make, create, or get out of the day. But the potential of that space is huge.”

And his message to anyone interested in this field? “Don’t worry if you’re not sure it’s for you – anyone from any background can engage with this technology. Contact us at PrintCity to find out more about studying here – it could be the catalyst for everything you do next.

“And if you run a business, get in touch to explore what these fantastic machines could do for you.”

As for that bench? It’s been donated back to the University where it will be placed on campus to inspire students, staff, and visitors to find out more about the remarkable technology that helped create it.