It’s not unusual for man’s best friend to dislike the shower. But what if it were possible to clean dogs that are afraid of water simply by stroking them? EOS worked with Hansgrohe, a fittings and shower specialist based in Germany’s Black Forest, to come up with an internally tested, sellable product in just five and a half months: a shower designed specifically for dogs.
As far as the Furly canine shower head was concerned, there were two major issues to solve: First, to make the relationship between dog and owner even better. And second, the product in question had to be brought from idea to series production within a tight timeframe and with a keen eye on cost. So the project came with requirements that are really more familiar in the field of IT startups, but which also form part of the Hansgrohe think tank’s arsenal: be agile, test fast, identify errors fast, learn fast.
Hansgrohe and EOS worked closely together to obtain the drinking water certification needed for the material used in Additive Manufacturing (AM): EOS submitted the powdered material PA 2200 and the relevant extracts from EOS’s very own patented recipe to several laboratories. Once approval had been granted, Hansgrohe began making the Furly prototype and the first batch of 5,000 units on an EOS P 396 3D printer.
Thanks to the AM-optimized design, there was no need for any complex welding of individual parts. Only the switchover valve for changing the jets, which was based on an in-house large-batch product, is installed separately. Dog owners can use the switchover valve to choose whether the water will flow out of the shower head nubs gently or as a powerful, compact jet. So this special shower head will be hours of fun for both owner and furry friend alike!
Tags
- Consumer Health Care