In its latest edition, Graphispag connected industrial designers with leading manufacturers of digital printing technology through the “Hacking the Icons” project. This initiative included an exhibition, a round table and a guided tour of the fair, activities designed to show the value that printing can bring to the mass manufacturing and customisation of all types of products in sectors such as furniture, consumer electronics and home accessories, among others.
“Hacking the Icons” not only explored the current applications of digital printing, but also inspired a discussion about how this technology is changing the way objects are designed and produced. Thus, the round table “Adding value to industrial design” brought together experts from the Design Institute of Spain (D!OS), industrial design agencies and companies that are already successfully integrating digital printing into their production processes.
Moderated by Juan Mellen, president of the Design Institute of Spain (DIOS), this debate space was attended by:
- Xavi Majoral, co-founder of Stimulo, an industrial design and product development agency.
- Marc Codesal, Head of Market Development for Customisation Solutions at Roland DG EMEA.
- Pol Fantova, CEO of Lucid, an agency specialising in design and innovation.
- Josep Maria Coll, Head of Commercial and Industrial Printing at Epson.
Digital printing today
Marc Codesal (Roland DG Emea) highlighted the versatility of today’s digital printing, which allows printing on almost any material, from wood to textiles, and on complete objects, not just flat surfaces. According to Codesal, “technology is even ahead of what the market knows, which underscores the need to educate the public and designers about its capabilities.” Josep Maria Coll (Epson) explained that digitalisation has transformed printing by reducing stock management and facilitating on-demand production, achieving immediate and high-quality results. However, both agreed that competition in traditional markets such as signage forces the exploration of new applications and emerging niches.
Design and industrial graphics
Pol Fantova (Lucid) underlined the potential for implementing digital printing in sports and interior design, pointing out how this technology can be applied to products such as helmets, bicycles and retail surfaces. “Technology is not an end in itself, but a means to deliver value,” he pointed out, emphasising the need for a more fluid collaboration between designers and manufacturers. Xavi Majoral (Stimulo), emphasised the role of industrial design in the creation of sustainable and customisable products that last in the market. He also highlighted how digital printing encourages co-creation, allowing designers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs to work together to develop unique solutions.
Sustainability and customisation
Josep Maria Coll Josep Maria Coll focused on how digital printing allows local and on-demand production, reducing the carbon footprint and minimising the waste of resources. For the Epson spokesperson, “traditional processes consume more energy and water, especially in industries such as textiles”. In addition, he highlighted how customisation can transform sectors such as fashion and decoration, offering unique solutions tailored to the needs of each customer.
Profitability and differentiation
Marc Codesal illustrated the economic impact of customisation with the case of paddle rackets: “A customer can pay up to 30% more for a customised product, while the additional cost to the manufacturer is minimal.” Examples like these demonstrate how digital printing not only generates added value, but also allows companies to stand out from the crowd in competitive markets.
Inter-sectoral collaboration
The speakers agreed that communication between designers, manufacturers and end users is crucial to maximise the potential of digital printing. “If designers don’t know all the capabilities of the technology, it’s difficult for them to integrate them into their projects,” said Roland’s spokesman. In this respect, the speakers agreed that initiatives such as “Hacking the Icons” by Graphispag have a key role in promoting dialogue and education within the sector.
Fast Business Prototyping Methodology
Xavi Majoral and Pol Fantova stressed that the Fast Business Prototyping methodology, combined with digital printing, allows ideas to be validated quickly, reduces risks and speeds up the arrival of products on the market. For Fantova, the value of graphics applications not only adds visual impact, but also textures and other functionalities that enrich the final design. “This printing technology is essential to innovate and ensure success in commercial launches,” he concluded.
Success story: the impact on bicycle design
A practical example presented by Roland DG illustrated how digital printing is used to prototype bicycle decorations before mass production. This approach makes it possible to evaluate different designs and select the most suitable one for consumers, optimising both resources and development time.
“Hacking the Icons” Awards
The day continued with the awards ceremony for the best design presented in the exhibition of objects that was exhibited at the Barcelona fair. In this exhibition, six renowned Spanish industrial design agencies accepted Graphispag’s challenge to rethink some of their most iconic works, applying digital printing to them. Among the items on display were new versions created for the occasion of the Vigar stool, the Ossby folding bicycle, the Cross aluminium table, the Ulartech electric vehicle charger, the FlipMirror mirror by Normann Copenhagen and the elastic band kits of Suiff sports technology, among others.
The winner of the awards was a switch of the Fontini brand, developed by Roland and Lucid, which stood out for its innovation and functionality. This recognition not only celebrated the creativity of the participants, but also reinforced the importance of integrating printing technology and industrial design to create relevant and sustainable products.
The “Hacking the Icons” project at Graphispag demonstrated how digital printing is changing the landscape of industrial design. Its ability to customise products, reduce costs, promote sustainability and create new business opportunities is indisputable. However, to make the most of its potential, it is crucial to strengthen collaboration between all the actors in the value chain. In this regard, initiatives such as those proposed by Graphispag promoted dialogue, the exchange of knowledge and progress towards a future where graphic technology and industrial design work in perfect synergy. The subsequent guided tour of the fair by the chairman of the organising committee, Xavier Armengou, was also very well received by the participating industrial designers in order to see on site how digital printing is not only a versatile and efficient tool, but is also transforming entire industries. Its ability to customise products, reduce waste and optimise resources makes it a fundamental technology for the design and manufacture of any object.
Cristina Benavides, Graphispag associate
