ONO: Pioneering Accessible 3D Printing with Smartphone Technology

In 2015, at Maker Faire New York, an innovative concept emerged that promised to revolutionize the landscape of 3D printing: ONO. The brainchild of Pietro Gabriele and Filippo Moroni, ONO was conceived from a bold vision – to create a 3D printer that could harness the power and ubiquity of a smartphone. This groundbreaking idea, initially known as OLO, quickly captured global attention, signaling a pivotal shift towards making advanced manufacturing technology accessible to everyone.

The ambition of ONO resonated deeply with the public, leading to an overwhelmingly successful Kickstarter campaign. With an astonishing more than $2,321,811 collected, the duo demonstrated the immense demand for an easy-to-use and affordable 3D printing solution. Their core mission was clear: to democratize 3D printing by simplifying its operation and lowering the barriers to entry. To delve deeper into the innovative journey and unique product offering of ONO, we had the distinct opportunity to sit down with its visionary founders, Pietro Gabriele and Filippo Moroni.

An Introduction to ONO’s Founders and Their Connection to 3D Printing

3DN: Can you introduce yourselves and explain your connection to 3D printing?

Pietro Gabriele: I’m Pietro, and my background is primarily as an entrepreneur. My career path has been quite diverse, touching upon various industries, and I even managed a jazz club for a period. Through these varied experiences, both positive and challenging, I’ve gained invaluable insights into the process of transforming a raw idea into a viable and profitable business venture. My passion now lies in sharing this accumulated wisdom with individuals who possess technical knowledge and innovative concepts, enabling us to collaboratively bring new technologies and solutions to the global market. My personal relationship with 3D printing, while relatively recent, has quickly become a focal point of my entrepreneurial endeavors, seeing its immense potential for widespread impact.

Filippo Moroni: My name is Filippo, and I approach innovation from a design perspective, underpinned by robust training in engineering and prototyping. My journey into digital manufacturing began approximately 15 years ago, when I started working at Solido3D. This extensive practical knowledge has been instrumental in allowing me to conceptualize, develop, and effectively share my ideas, particularly in the realm of advanced manufacturing. The synergy between Pietro and I is quite remarkable and forms the bedrock of ONO’s success. While my training is more technical, enabling me to meticulously develop and refine our innovative concepts, Pietro brings the crucial commercial acumen needed to successfully introduce and scale our products in the market. Together, we recognized the profound, untapped potential of 3D printing and identified ONO as a unique opportunity to make this transformative technology accessible and understandable for everyone, irrespective of their technical background.

The Genesis of ONO: From Vision to Prototype

3DN: How did you come up with the idea of ONO?

Pietro & Filippo: Our initial approach was to critically analyze why 3D printing technology, despite its incredible potential, had not yet achieved widespread adoption. We quickly pinpointed two major obstacles: the significant cost of entry for consumers and businesses alike, and the steep learning curve typically associated with operating traditional 3D printers. These barriers made the technology largely inaccessible to a broader market. It was this fundamental insight that sparked our radical idea: what if we could transform an everyday smartphone, a device almost everyone already owns, into a functional 3D printer?

Once we had this core concept, development moved with incredible speed. We designed and built our very first functional prototype in an astonishingly short period of just eight hours. What’s even more remarkable is how closely this initial prototype resembled the final product, demonstrating the inherent simplicity and genius of the idea. This swift creation served as our foundational starting point, from which we meticulously developed the entire ecosystem around the printer. This included not only the hardware itself but also specialized resins optimized for our unique process and intuitive software applications designed to make 3D printing as effortless as sending a text message. The rapid progression from concept to a tangible prototype underscored the viability and elegance of our vision to truly democratize 3D printing.

Unveiling ONO’s Revolutionary 3D Printing Technology

3DN: Can you explain the technology behind the ONO 3D printer?

Pietro & Filippo: The core technology underpinning the ONO 3D printer is remarkably elegant in its simplicity. Unlike many complex machines, the ONO features only one primary moving part: a motor responsible for precisely raising and lowering the printing tray. This tray operates completely enclosed in darkness during the printing process, ensuring optimal conditions for resin solidification. While the fundamental mechanism is straightforward, the meticulous selection of materials, the industrial design, and the engineering of precision components demanded extensive development and iterative refinement. Our overarching goal was for ONO to become the most widely adopted 3D printer globally, which meant designing the entire user experience with paramount consideration for ease of use and accessibility. The accompanying ONO application, for instance, was crafted to enable users to initiate and complete a print in just a few intuitive steps. Furthermore, the physical assembly of the printer is exceptionally simple, comprising only a handful of parts that effortlessly snap together, making installation a breeze for anyone, regardless of technical skill.

The true innovation, however, lies in the proprietary resin technology we developed. Most conventional resin-based 3D printers, similar to those employing the stereolithography (SLA) process, utilize resins that solidify upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. This necessitates the integration of expensive components such as UV lasers or dedicated UV projectors to achieve polymerization, significantly driving up the overall cost and complexity of the printer, thus limiting their market reach. ONO’s patented Daylight resin, in stark contrast, hardens when exposed to visible white light – precisely the type of light emitted from your smartphone screen. This ingenious approach allows us to leverage technology that almost every individual already possesses, effectively eliminating the most expensive and complex component from the 3D printer itself. By utilizing a smartphone as the light source, ONO drastically reduces manufacturing costs, simplifies the machine’s design, and ultimately makes 3D printing more affordable and accessible than ever before. This breakthrough is what truly sets ONO apart and underpins its mission to democratize additive manufacturing.

The Future of ONO 3D: A Decade of Innovation

3DN: Where do you envision ONO 3D in 10 years?

Pietro & Filippo: We are incredibly excited about the trajectory of ONO and have several ambitious projects planned across the short, medium, and long term. Immediately, our focus will remain heavily on continuous resin research and development. This ongoing work is crucial for the constant evolution of new materials with diverse properties and the expansion into an even wider array of applications. A significant short-term objective is the development of a completely organic resin, which would be inherently safer and more environmentally friendly. This particular innovation is vital for our goal of introducing ONO printers into educational environments, specifically schools, where safety for children is paramount. We firmly believe that to truly advance this technology and push its boundaries, we need the fresh perspectives and unconstrained creativity of young minds. ONO’s ultimate mission transcends simply selling printers; it’s about providing everyone with the tools to unleash their creative potential and contribute to the advancement of technology itself.

Looking ahead over the next two years, our first major product expansion is the ONOtab. This device will build upon the foundational concept of the original ONO but will be designed for use with tablets, offering the potential for larger print volumes and enhanced capabilities due to the tablet’s larger screen area. Following this, we plan to introduce ONOpro, a more advanced iteration that will no longer rely on external customer devices. Instead, ONOpro will feature an integrated, high-resolution screen meticulously engineered to work in perfect synergy with our specialized resins. This strategic move will unlock significant opportunities for ONO in specialized professional markets, including intricate jewelry design, precision micromechanics, and demanding dental applications, where high detail and specific material properties are critical.

As ONO continues to expand its presence globally, we’re increasingly recognizing its potential beyond just being a printer. We envision ONO evolving into a powerful distributed manufacturing and distribution platform. Imagine a world where every household has an ONO printer; the accompanying application could then transform into a vibrant marketplace, enabling users to seamlessly sell and deliver unique 3D printed products directly from various designers and distributors. This vision opens up exciting possibilities for local production and a new paradigm for e-commerce, empowering creators and consumers worldwide.

Our ambitious long-term objective, spanning the next three to five years, is to scale our innovative resin technology to industrial applications. This involves adapting our patented process to much wider screens, thereby bringing the unique advantages of ONO’s accessible and efficient 3D printing to industrial environments for large-scale production, prototyping, and specialized manufacturing. This would enable industries to leverage the benefits of rapid, cost-effective additive manufacturing on an unprecedented scale, transforming workflows and accelerating innovation across various sectors.

Final Thoughts and a Call to Action

3DN: Any last words for our readers?

Pietro & Filippo: ONO represents far more than just a product; it embodies a compelling story and a new philosophy for technological development. Our journey is about demonstrating that cutting-edge technology can be made both simple to understand and universally accessible. We sincerely hope that our unique approach will profoundly influence a new generation of creators and innovators, inspiring them to explore their potential through the power of our technology. We want younger generations to believe in their inherent abilities and leverage tools like ONO to bring their imaginative ideas to life, contributing to a more creative and technologically empowered future for everyone.

For a dynamic demonstration of ONO in action, discover more in the video below!

To further explore the world of ONO and its innovative offerings, we invite you to visit their official website here.

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