3D Printing

Nokia releases 3D-printing instructions for Lumia 820 Shell

Nokia releases 3D-printing instructions for Lumia 820 Shell
Nokia has released 3D printing instructions for the shells of Lumia 820 smartphones
Nokia has released 3D printing instructions for the shells of Lumia 820 smartphones
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Nokia has released 3D printing instructions for the shells of Lumia 820 smartphones
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Nokia has released 3D printing instructions for the shells of Lumia 820 smartphones

One of the selling points for Nokia's Lumia 820 smartphones is that their shells are available in a wide range of colors. The company is now expanding the customization potential of these phones by making 3D printing instructions available.

3D printing seems ideal for customizing gear, but companies haven't exactly raced to embrace the option, perhaps believing that their brand recognition will suffer if customer-designed accouterments become common. As a result, the dimensions and design of even a case back are usually treated as confidential and proprietary.

In counterpoint to this attitude, Nokia has just released a 3D-printing Development Kit (3DK) that provides users with the files and information they need to print a custom Lumia 820 back cover. The 3DK can be found on the Nokia developers site.

Possible modifications suggested include incorporating belt clips, bicycle clips or winding posts for headphones into the design.

As 3D printing becomes more affordable, self-customization of all varieties of user gear will accelerate rapidly. Nokia has made a modest start, but has announced its intent to support more use of 3D printing technologies.

“In the future, I envision wildly more modular and customizable phones,” Nokia Community & Developer Marketing Manager John Kneeland wrote in a blog post. “Perhaps in addition to our own beautifully-designed phones, we could sell some kind of phone template, and entrepreneurs the world over could build a local business on building phones precisely tailored to the needs of his or her local community. You want a waterproof, glow-in-the-dark phone with a bottle-opener and a solar charger? Someone can build it for you—or you can print it yourself!

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Source: Nokia via Wired

3 comments
3 comments
Onihikage
Naturally, having 3D-printable phone cases means someone, somewhere, is going to print a case with boobs on it.
Wow, color me impressed. Nokia clearly understands how to do business with the customer in mind - a rare thing in the modern business world where the typical atmosphere is to bleed the customer dry and limit their choices.
Ed
Hmmm, this is good news for the 1 or 2 dozen people who actually have this phone!
George Mclaren
It's really great Nokia has launched 3D printing instructions for Nokia Lumia 820.. I have also bought Nokia Lumia, it has a lot of function with windows 8.. That's excellent