Pianos Mondy is a company located in Châtelet, Belgium that has been offering piano maintenance, repair, restoration, purchase, sale, and rental services for over 20 years. Laurent Mondy, the founder of the company, is a professional piano technician who has studied at the Royal Conservatory of Mons and the European Technological Institute for Music Professions in Le Mans.
Pianos Mondy and Machines-3D (Shining 3D distributor in France) have come together to undertake a unique and innovative research and development project in the world of pianos. The goal of the project is to replace the worn mechanical parts of a piano with brand new 3D printed parts.
The hammers of a piano tend to wear out over time and are not often replaced in public schools due to the cost and time required to replace them. This can cause a degradation in sound quality. The mechanism of a piano generates sounds by striking the corresponding string when a key is pressed. The fixed parts of the mechanism are made of beech change according to the environment in which the instrument is located (humidity, temperature). The keys can become blocked as the wood swells, which is why regular tuning and maintenance is crucial.
To address this issue, Laurent Mondy turned to Machines-3D. Unlike wood, 3D printed parts are very easy to make and degrade very little over time. This solution ensures the durability of the parts and can significantly reduce the time it takes to repair the parts. The worn parts of the piano are being digitized with the help of the Shining 3D EinScan-SP desktop 3D scanner and Einstar , so that they can be replaced with 3D printed parts.
The EinScan-SP desktop 3D scanner can accurately digitize mechanical and organic parts with an accuracy of 0.05 mm. It has a sharpness certified by a serious process of precision calibration as well as a quality of execution fast.
The Einstar, chosen for its portability, is utilized to scan the placement of the piano’s hammers and strings. The 3 VCSEL infrared projectors, 2 stereo depth cameras, and an RGB camera that are part of this versatile and reasonably priced 3D scanner. As a result, the Einstar is able to provide steady outputs outside and record scan data in real color. In addition to making high-quality 3D data accessible to everyone, it gives a variable working distance for both tiny and large items. The output data from this scanner may be converted into a variety of data formats that are directly compatible with 3D printers and 3D design applications.
3D scanning with Einstar
Each hammer must be scanned individually as they have different shapes, weights, and densities. The felt is replaced with materials like PLA or ABS and a silicone paw is placed on it to conform to the shape of the strings. The hammer prototypes are then printed using the 3D printer.
3D printed head of the hammers
3D printed hammer
The cooperation between Pianos Mondy and Machines-3D is progressing smoothly and the new 3D printed parts of the mechanics are proving to be highly resistant to wear. 3D scanning & 3D printing allows for quick production of identical parts, reducing the need for regular adjustments. This not only makes repairs more affordable, but it also provides better control of the time spent on the piano. This project is set to revolutionize the piano repair industry by offering more efficient and cost-effective solutions.
