3D Lab –
From the screen to the workshop.
Planning and implementation under one roof.
The 3D lab is the interface between design and material. Here, the digital foundations for casting, milling, and printing processes are created—and here, they are directly translated into physical objects. Resin prints become casting positives for metal jewelry. CNC-milled graphite molds receive molten glass. Ceramic geometries emerge layer by layer from the nozzle. Rhino models become steel tools.
What distinguishes this lab from a purely service-oriented operation is that all digital processes are directly integrated with the studio's workshops. Modeling, printing, and milling are not endpoints here—they are the beginning of a physical process that continues within the same building.
3D Modeling & 3D Scanning & Digital Form Finding
Rhino as a design basis - from 3D scan to finished CAD file
Every digital manufacturing process begins with a model. In our studio, we work with Rhinoceros 3D—not as a visualization tool, but as a precise design instrument for objects that are actually built. Models are designed from the outset for further processing—for 3D printing, milling, casting, or a combination of several methods.
The starting point isn't always a blank file. 3D scanning allows physical objects—handmade glass pieces, organic natural forms, historical objects, or existing tools—to be precisely digitized and further processed as editable geometry. The scan model is cleaned, reconstructed, and prepared for manufacturing: as a basis for a mold, as a reference for a replica, or as a starting point for further development.
For external clients, this means: Anyone who wants to reproduce an existing object, mass-produce a handmade original, or use an organic form as a casting basis can map the entire process — from scanning to model preparation to the finished mold — in the studio.
Suitable for: Digitization of glass objects and natural forms, reproduction of unique pieces, reverse engineering of tools and molds, project-accompanying design, form finding for casting and milling processes
3D printing - Filament, Resin & Ceramics
Three material pathways. One digital starting point.
Additive printing in the studio means: the same file, three fundamentally different material results — depending on what the project requires.
Resin (SLA) uses UV-cured resin and achieves resolutions below 50 micrometers — resulting in smooth surfaces, sharp edges, and dimensionally accurate geometries.
In the studio, SLA prints primarily serve as casting positives for the lost-wax casting process: The resin model takes the place of the wax model and is burned away completely during firing. The path from digital form to cast metal object is significantly shortened—eliminating the need for manual model making. Furthermore, prototypes, master models for silicone molds, and functional parts are produced where surface quality is crucial. FDM and ceramic 3D printers extrude plastic, clay, metals, glass, and custom-made materials layer by layer, building geometries that would be impossible to create by hand.
After printing, the pieces undergo the complete process, for example, in the case of ceramics: drying, bisque firing, glazing, and glaze firing. In the context of the glass studio, this process is particularly important: Firing aids, slumping molds, and refractory tools can be digitally designed and printed directly—precisely calibrated to the respective temperature process.
Suitable for: Casting positives for investment casting, jewelry models, refractory molds for glass processing, design prototypes, unique pieces and small production runs, master models for silicone molds
Research & Materials Technology
Experimental processes at the limits of what is feasible
Alongside our daily work, another kind of work is constantly underway in the lab—slower, more open-ended, and material-driven. We are interested in the points where established methods reach their limits. Which refractory ceramic mixtures can withstand repeated temperature shocks in the glass furnace? How can 3D-printed structures be used as lost molds for glass casting without leaving any residue?
These questions arise from practical experience—and their answers flow directly back into the workshop. The research is not an academic exercise, but rather a methodological expansion of what is possible in the studio. Individual projects are developed in collaboration with design schools, material manufacturers, and other studios. Results are documented and—where appropriate—published or shared in courses.
Anyone interested in cooperation projects, joint development projects or access to ongoing research processes is invited to get in touch.
Current focus areas: Glass 3D processes, 3D-printed lost molds for glass casting, refractory ceramic development for high-temperature applications, digital documentation of research results
CNC milling
Digital machining for molds, tools and objects
The CNC milling machine translates digital geometries directly into milled surfaces—precisely, reproducibly, and regardless of the material. In our studio, we primarily mill graphite and steel for casting and glass tools, but also wood, plastic, and soft metals for molds, furniture, and architectural elements.
Graphite is the key material: as a mold for glassblowing and glass casting, it is thermally stable, easily machinable, and delivers sharp contours even with repeated use. CNC-milled graphite molds form the basis for every glass object with a defined geometry—from perfume bottles to lamp shades. Combined with 3D modeling and the studio's other workshops, this creates a seamless digital manufacturing process: from the file to the tool to the finished object in glass, metal, or wood.
Suitable for: Graphite tools for glassblowing and glass casting, steel permanent molds, wood and plastic molds, furniture and object milling, digital toolmaking for cross-material projects