Olsson Ruby: from early testing to product ownership
Testing Anders Olsson's ruby-tipped nozzle before joining 3DVerkstan, then taking responsibility for production, suppliers, OEM versions and the product's website and packaging over several years.
Abrasive filled filaments wear out ordinary printer nozzles. Anders Olsson’s answer was a nozzle with a ruby tip, and I was testing it with him before I joined 3DVerkstan. Once I was at the company, I became the product owner and stayed responsible for its development and production for several years. It launched in December 2016.
I made the mechanical drawings and tested the product. With Anders and other testers, I looked at how the nozzle’s geometry affected the print. The size of the shoulder around the opening is a trade-off between flatter top surfaces and better overhangs, and those tests informed the final choice.
Manufacturing it reliably was an ongoing part of the job. I found a new supplier who could make the nozzle consistently, and over the years I dealt with manufacturing problems as they came up. That included finding new sources for the rubies and alternative suppliers for the machined parts and the assembly.
I also worked with OEM partners, including Ultimaker, on customised versions for their own products.
The way the product reached customers was mine too. I built the website, took the product photographs, designed the box and found a supplier to make it.