3Heads Case Study

Customer Profile

3HEADS is a Czech-based creative collective of skilled filmmakers, photographers, and computer graphics designers that provides a close-up look into the daredevil world of extreme sports. To capture the excitement of skateboarding, surfing, roller derby, dog sled racing, and more, 3HEADS designs and creates custom equipment that ensures they get the best shot.

The world of extreme sports demands extreme innovations. When 3HEADS needed specialized equipment to keep their camera stable when filming extreme sports with a GoPro camera attached to a drone, the founder, Vit Hasek, used a YSoft BE3D 3D printer to create their high-quality design – at a fraction of the cost of having a custom solution fabricated.

Challenge

As a small production company, 3HEADS has made a name for themselves by doing whatever it takes to make movies and videos wherever a sport takes them, from aerial shots using drones to following mountain bikers across rough terrain.

One of the founders of 3HEADS, Vit Hasek, found that he got the best results by taking matters into his own hands. “Our business requires lots of gadgets. We build our drones and design and make other equipment and accessories that meet very specific needs.” However, custom-designed equipment can be costly and time-consuming to fabricate. That is why they knew they had found the ideal solution when 3HEADS made a short film for BE3D and saw the YSoft BE3D 3D printer.

Solution

YSoft BE3D printers are high-quality, entry-level 3D printers ideal for product 
designers, schools, architects, interior design studios, hobbyists, fashion designers, and households. Captivated by the sleek industrial design, intuitive user interface, and high-quality print capabilities, Vit knew he had found the right solution to design the intricate parts 3HEADS required to meet their customers’ needs.

"With a YSoft BE3D 3D printer, you can fabricate equipment really quickly. In the past, it would take a week to create the gadget we needed. Now, we do it in a day!"

Vit Hasek, 3HEADS Founder

The YSoft BE3D 3D printer uses a transparent touchscreen panel and DeeControl software to prepare preprint models. Printed objects of any shape – up to a maximum size of 150 × 150 × 150 mm – can be quickly and efficiently produced using an environmentally degradable polylactic acid (PLA) plastic made from cornstarch. The fully enclosed chassis eliminates the impact of any external factors that might influence print quality, and doors provide easy access to the finished product.

With a fantastic print resolution of up to 50 microns and automatic calibration of the print bed, 3HEADS was eager to see if they could build a new gimbal, a complex piece of equipment that stabilizes a camera while it is moving – a must for the kind of action-packed 360-degree shots extreme sports require.

Benefits

3HEADS designed and printed their own specialized gimbal to be used on a drone to hold their camera steady. After designing the pieces of the gimbal with 3D modeling software, Vit uploaded the design to the printer. DeeControl software automatically processes the files and prepares them to print. “It’s very intuitive,” says Vit, “We did not have any prior experience, but we found it very straightforward. You can adjust for thickness, for strength – it’s very flexible.”

Many people think 3D printers are difficult and expensive. With a YSoft BE3D 3D printer, printing objects is surprisingly inexpensive. It’s easy to operate – even if you have never done it before.

Vit Hasek, 3HEADS Founder

The entire team says watching the YSoft BE3D printer in action is fascinating. “The speed from idea to finished product is incredible,” Vit reports that they use the gimbal they print daily. They have also designed and printed special protective cases for a wide array of delicate electronic equipment, saving the time and cost of having another company fabricate specialized equipment from metal. “The printed pieces have a very smooth finish and look professional. If you need something in one day, you can create exactly what you need. We can solve problems faster with more options.”

Vit points out that the YSoft BE3D printer is an ideal, cost-effective solution for his small production company – a company that thrives on moving quickly and adapting to daily changes in customer requirements. “The YSoft BE3D printer is sturdy and well-made. It has an excellent user interface, so you can learn to use it quickly. I really like that it has built-in calibration to produce high-quality results. Now we can try something and adjust it to create the perfect finished product more quickly than ever before.