Union Tools Conference Table Accent
Bluegrass Metal Works came to Cru Bear with a customer-supplied 3D design for a large conference-table accent piece. At approximately 31.86 inches wide, 6.92 inches deep, and 18.13 inches tall, the model was far larger than a single print bed and was not ready to manufacture as supplied. Cru Bear transformed the design into a reliable, large-format 3D printing system while preserving the recognizable hammer, scissors, and iron forms at the heart of the piece.
The project began with one matte-black PLA proof of concept. After the client reviewed and approved that first piece, Cru Bear produced two additional sets from the proven files and process—three physical versions in total. The version documented here was prepared for the client at a partially assembled, unfinished stage so their team could complete the final integration and finish for the conference table.
Engineering the Customer’s 3D Model
The supplied STEP file was a design model, not a print-ready production package. Cru Bear inspected the geometry, identified the practical build limits, and rebuilt the manufacturing plan around the available print volume. The finished system divided the oversized design into eight main printable parts and used a dedicated alignment-pin package to control registration during assembly.
Designed for Large-Format 3D Printing
Each split location, connector, and print orientation was chosen around strength, surface quality, support access, machine clearance, and clean assembly. Large handles and tool bodies required carefully planned joints, while the alignment pins needed enough engagement and clearance to assemble predictably in matte-black PLA. The result was not simply a scaled print—it was a repeatable production package engineered for multiple complete builds.
Prototype production and fit checks refined the process before the repeat sets were made. Cru Bear validated the separate meshes, connector geometry, print orientation, and assembly sequence, then preserved the approved files for consistent reproduction. The client received one proof and two repeat sets, demonstrating how a single customer design can become a dependable short-run manufacturing workflow.
Project Highlights
- Customer-supplied 3D model engineered for production
- Approximately 32-inch-wide conference-table accent piece
- Eight main printable parts with dedicated alignment pins
- One proof plus two repeat sets produced
- Matte-black PLA, printed and prepared in-house
Project Specifications
Specifications
- Client – Bluegrass Metal Works, Louisville, Kentucky
- Source – Customer-supplied STEP design file
- Scale – 31.86 × 6.92 × 18.13 inches
- Material – Matte-black PLA
- Build – Eight main printable parts
- Alignment – Separate fitted connector-pin package
- Quantity – One proof and two repeat sets
- Delivery – Partially assembled and unfinished for client completion
Engineered and Produced In-House
From print engineering and connector design to production and fit validation, Cru Bear developed the complete manufacturing workflow in-house.
Keeping the engineering and production process together made rapid refinement possible. Cru Bear could compare the digital model with physical parts, correct fit and assembly issues, validate machine clearances, and reuse the approved production files across all three versions. The final workflow turned a customer design into a repeatable large-format display product ready for the client’s own integration and finishing process.
Custom 3D Printing in Louisville, KY
Have a 3D file or oversized idea? Cru Bear can help make it printable.
Cru Bear provides custom 3D printing, model preparation, large-format part planning, connector engineering, production, and assembly support for businesses in Louisville, Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and beyond. Whether you have a STEP file, an STL, a prototype, or an idea that still needs development, we can help turn it into a practical physical product.
