PicShade to Launch on Kickstarter, Customized 3D Printed Lampshades Where Your Image Shines Through

Customization is one of several key benefits in the utilization of 3D printing, over that of traditional manufacturing methods. As we have witnessed so many times in the past, 3D printing allows for differentiation and complex design, without the subsequent price increases you’d normally see for such traits.

When you think about items you’d expect to have customization options for, things like clothing, shoes, and wedding cake toppers may come to mind. Something that doesn’t ordinarily come to mind, however, are lampshades. With this said, an Espoo, Finland based company, Versoteq, is trying to do just that.

On August 1st, and running until September 5th, Versoteq will be launching a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to try and raise the money needed to launch their new line of customized lampshades, called PicShade. PicShades are unlike anything you have ever seen. Through the use of 3D printing, they are able to take a custom image, for instance a photo of you child, pet, or favorite movie, and 3D print it onto the inside of the lampshade. The Lampshape is thin enough, that when light shines through it, the custom image will also clearly shine through.

PicShade will be offering both higher quality lampshades, printed with nylon, using selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, as well as a lower quality, more affordable shade which is printed with PLA using a typical FDM 3D printer. The FDM produced lampshades are 3D printed within their office, while they subcontract the SLS shades.

“The picture or pictures will be printed on the inner surface of the shade and when you put the lights on, it will show the picture through the surface,” explained Rauno Huttunen, CDO of Versoteq, to 3DPrint.com. “There are going to be two basic shapes, a cylinder and a frustum. We’re also planning on higher grade [lampshades] with the help from our industrial designer who could make even the shape unique.”

There will be several pledge levels for the Kickstarter Campaign, and dependent on the amount of a pledge, a variety of different lampshades will be offered. Starting at a pledge of £55 you can receive a custom PLA lampshade, or for a pledge of £140 or more you will receive the higher quality Nylon shade.

Customization is something we will begin to see more and more of as additive manufacturing processes are incorporated into all sorts of new business plans. Lampshades today, entire homes tomorrow; it’s certainly a possibility. Let us know if you plan on backing these 3D printed lampshades in the PicShade forum thread on 3DPB.com.