The attractiveness of American Standard’s 3D printed faucets, which are marketed under their DXV luxury brand, goes beyond just appearance, too. They’re also highly water-efficient and eco-friendly, drawing the attention of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which recently presented the company with the 2016 WaterSense Excellence in Innovation and Research Award.
“This dazzling reinvention of the way water is delivered to the user could not be crafted using conventional manufacturing methods; only this first-of-its-kind 3D metal printing process can achieve these stunning results,” said Maha El Kharbotly, chief marketing officer for LIXIL Water Technology Americas, the division under which American Standard and their luxury brand DXV operate.
All three of the 3D printed DXV faucet models – the Vibrato, Trope, and Shadowbrook – have a flow rate of 1.2 gallons per minute (GPM). The federal standard is no more than 2.5 GPM for kitchen faucets and 2.2 GPM for bathroom faucets. The WaterSense product-labeling program, according to the EPA, has helped Americans to save 1.5 trillion gallons of water and $32.6 billion in water and energy bills since 2006 – not to mention 78 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.
“American Standard is continually striving to raise the standard in the industry by developing groundbreaking innovations that impact everyday water use while exceeding the expectations of our customers in terms of style and performance,” said El Kharbotly. “We are very dedicated to promoting the mission of the WaterSense program and it is a true honor to receive this meaningful recognition from the EPA.”
Beyond their faucet design, American Standard has worked closely with the WaterSense program through research. C.J. Lagan, American Standard Senior Manager of Testing and Compliance for Fixtures, was awarded the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) 2015 Industry Person of the Year Award for his work on a recent study of drain line carry, part of a research collaboration between American Standard and the Plumbing Efficiency Research Coalition (PERC). Discuss further in the 3D Printed Faucets forum over at 3DPB.com.