Furniture manufacturers: 3D at the heart of your business

Afraid of 3D? Unsure it will do justice to your products that are worked by craftsmen with exceptional know-how? And how would you use 3D? Without making a long list, this article aims to show you the advantages so that you can change your mind: 3D enhances your products and can even become the heart of your business!

3D for the creation and design of furniture

3D is revolutionary in the prototyping phase

A pencil, a drawing or a plan, the creation of furniture depended on paper to see the day. To make a model evolve, it was necessary to redo sketches and draw them from several angles. 3D was presented as a tool that facilitated the engineer and the designer to test, iterate, and make the product evolve. It has progressively become more and more important and has now become an indispensable part of the prototyping phase.

The usefulness of 3D in this context is to simulate a real piece of furniture, its implementation in space and all the details that we want to visualize or validate in this phase. It allows you to validate the concepts and prevent any problems that might arise before moving on to work with the material. The three-dimensional aspect allows you to work on your product from various angles, not to mention the speed with which you can realize the improvements you need to make to your prototype.

If we go further, the digitization of factories and production workshops could be based on 3D models. Whether a workshop chooses to make part of its products in an automated way and the finishing touches by hand, or whether it gives a greater part to digital, the 3D product becomes a link in the chain.

For example, many pieces of furniture are manufactured partly with digital machines such as milling machines. In order to configure the tool for cutting, the program is based on a 3D model to “organize” its movement and optimize the use of materials.

So, whether it’s for early phase iteration and prototyping, or for use in partially automated factories where digital technology plays a major role, 3D could become the cornerstone of the furniture, kitchen and home industries.

3D, a must for your designers

In addition to the advantages of 3D in the prototyping phase as mentioned above, it has become an essential for another profession that is closely linked to furniture manufacturers: interior designers.

Modeling / creating a 3D space

Even if the designer often has an excellent pencil stroke, it is rare now that he does not make his plans in 3D. Creation of spaces, volumes, arrangements of a room, 3D allows a project to have one or more faces, to change, to make it evolve in a few strokes of a pencil on a tablet.

While the rendering image of a project used to be one of the final steps of the designer’s work, new 3D modeling technologies have totally changed the game. Drawing a quick plan with integrated dimensions, a designer can easily show a draft of a project or even confirm with his client that they on the same page thanks to 3D.

As an example, one of the most used software by these professional space designers is Autocad. By modeling an environment on specialized software, an architect can offer an overview of the project and reveal its complexity. In the interaction with the client, 3D has something playful that captivates and helps to visualize. Closer to the concrete, closer to the reality! And since we’re talking about fun, there are now online planning tools hat allow you to design a space without downloading any software.

The 3D planner: an efficient and connected tool

A 3D planner is an application directly accessible online that allows you to build and furnish a project. From a 2D plan, it is possible to switch it to 3D, to move or modify partitions, to add a floor. It also offers the possibility of completely furnishing the space thanks to a library of furniture accessible directly in the tool.

For individuals and professionals, often interior designers, the planner has the advantage of being an interactive tool, 100% online and very easy to use. Among the planners on the market, let’s mention HomeByMe, « an online 3D home design service developed by 3DVIA, a brand of the Dassault Systèmes group ». Whether you want to redesign a room, build a house or renovate an apartment, the tool makes life easier for interior designers and individuals who want to get started.

And to furnish your project in all this? HomeByMe provides a library of furniture from partner designers and manufacturers, offering a wide variety of furniture and decorative objects. For example, you can find furniture from Maisons du Monde, Gautier, Acova, Cdiscount, French Design by Via or 4pieds.

3D to boost your sales

3D not only has advantages for designs and production. Integrated into tools adapted to the furniture and home trades, it also proves to have a real advantage in boosting your sales.

3D as an alternative to photography

Photo or 3D model? You are probably not the only one to ask yourself this question. To help you decide, we answer the question: what are the advantages of 3D compared to photo?

  • Very close to reality: today’s models are very realistic and it is difficult to distinguish between 3D and photo.
  • Easily integrated: the 3D model can be integrated into several tools such as a web configurator that allows the customer to customize your products in real time and according to his tastes.
  • Better control of the planning: no checking the weather forecast to put out your patio furniture. The 3D designers who create them are warm and sheltered from the rain.
  • More versatile: 3D is adaptable. Each time your new collections are released, the furniture can be modeled and quickly displayed on your website.
  • More economical: by using 3D, you eliminate the costs of a photo shoot (equipment, logistics, space rental, etc.).
  • More adaptable: a 3D product can also be integrated into an ambient scene to create a visual that highlights your brand’s furniture.
  • Faster for your communication: the advantage of 3D is that you can test and then choose the orientation of your model without having to do dozens of shots. 3D is also useful for your website or e-commerce, for your mobile application and for your communications One model for multiple functions!
Modèle 3D d’un meuble de la marque Henryot & Cie

3D integrated into dynamic real-time sales tools

As mentioned above, you will have understood that the magic of 3D is that it can be used for various purposes and integrated into different tools.

From the HomeByMe range solutions, there is a 3D configurator, an interface that allows the user to visualize a product from every angle and to customize it according to his tastes.
Integrated into a consumer application, for in-store sales team, or directly accessible from a brand’s website, the 3D configurator is a fun approach to the object. It allows the customization of a product in real time: finishes, colors, accessories.

Your 3D furniture can be integrated into a configurator that provides visualization, in an interface that allows the addition of accessories or the configuration of a modular furniture. A good way today to offer on-demand customization for made to order products.
The 3D models are of course optimized to be not too heavy and allow a smooth configuration experience in an aesthetic tool.

To further enhance this “in” or “out of store” experience, there is often the question of “I’m not sure how the furniture will look in my home“. This is where augmented reality comes in. Using a smartphone or tablet, via your website or an app, augmented reality allows you to visualize the product in your own home. At scale, in real time, the technology lifts the brakes on purchasing. A bonus? The guaranteed wow effect that will convince the user that your brand should be top of mind for his next furniture purchase!

 
Application mobile professionnelle Luis Silva

Whether it’s for the design or prototyping phase of a piece of furniture, for its use by designers who place your products, or whether it’s integrated into high-performance sales support tools, 3D has its place in many stages of the life of a piece of furniture. More than a supporting cast, it plays a central role in your business if you are willing to place it in the script of your organization. So, ready to take the plunge?

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