LFP - Large-Format-Printing
Prototyping with flair
Thursday 25. November 2010 - The Germany-based company Mango Design develops prototypes, 3D visualizations, graphics and interfaces for several world-famous brands. In its 15 years of existence, the company has won various awards and has become a very important name in the designing business.
The design is the soul of the product and the combination of the design and technology culminate in a good product. With this vision, Marcus Anlauff and his wife Andrea founded Mango Design in the early 90’s. In the beginning, they used the conventional way of model making, that is by hand, but a couple of years ago they discovered the ease of working with Roland milling machines. Nowadays, Mango Design makes prototypes and models for well-known companies like Nokia, Blaupunkt and Vivanco. They develop prototypes for cars, mobile phones, headsets and so much more. Bet you’ve seen one of these products before.
Marcus Anlauff explains: “I first came into contact with Roland milling machines during a trade show and I loved them immediately. Now, we use our Roland machines to develop mock-ups, prototypes and deep draw pieces for all sorts of products. I chose for Roland because the software and the hardware were very easy to use; even designers who don’t have the relevant education can operate the machines. Thanks to these machines, we can work with great precision and we can produce small series, which is impossible when you work manually. What’s more, we are no longer dependent on external suppliers and have control over the whole process.”
Anlauff has three milling machines: an MDX-650, 40 and 15. He praises the reliability and robustness of the machines and believes that precision and user-friendliness are the most important advantages. Anlauff recently bought a fourth axis for the MDX-650. He explains: “With this axis, we are able to mill even more complex models. It is now possible to mill all sides of the polyurethane without having to interrupt the milling process.”
Marcus Anlauff dreams about bringing his own products in small series on the market. “At the moment, we are working on a retro radio and we use our Roland machines to mill the prototypes. We hope this project will become a success. In this business, every job is a new challenge; no job is like the previous one. That brings insecurity, but it also makes the work very exciting,” concludes Anlauff.