Enrico Azzimonti's Innovative Bench for BLM Group

Award-Winning Outdoor Seating Solution Revolutionizing Production Processes

The Bench for BLM Group is a testament to the power of innovation. Azzimonti's design philosophy goes beyond the implementation of new ideas and optimized products. For him, true innovation is gauged in terms of production process efficiency and efficacy, translating into direct, material benefits for customers. This philosophy led to the creation of a new production approach based on advanced technology, making manufacturing processes that were previously impossible, possible.

The bench, designed for outdoor use, is made from stainless steel, ensuring its resistance to weathering. The project aims to optimize the production of the bench through an all-in-one solution, made possible by exploiting productive technologies that allow real-time size variation of the object. This approach enables the efficient handling of both small and large batches.

The production process involves laser cutting and bending, often used together to create the final product. The LT-FREE 5 axis cutting system is suitable for processing bent, hydroformed, or preassembled tubes, as well as flat or stamped sheet metal parts. The system is perfect for laser cutting or trimming on any three-dimensional part. This technology allows for the import of 3D models of both bent and laser-cut tubes, automatic generation of the part-program for different technologies, calculation of the combined effects of laser cutting and bending, and automatic correction of programs to move laser cut features to compensate for bending, ensuring the correct final part geometry.

The Bench for BLM Group was designed and produced during the INtube XV event from June 4-18, 2015. The design process involved overcoming creative and technical challenges. Through observation of benches and analysis of their shapes and sizes, Azzimonti understood that people have basic and secondary needs: the primary need is to sit, and the secondary need is for socialization. The challenge was to design a chair that would be technically and ergonomically correct and, at the same time, flexible in accommodating various forms of social aggregation.

The result is a metal bench laser cut designed by Enrico Azzimonti using an innovative productive approach. It breaks the patterns and overcomes the technological limitations that have previously bound tube processing only to certain application fields. The bench is not only technically and ergonomically correct but also flexible in accommodating various forms of social aggregation. This innovative design was recognized with the prestigious Platinum A' Street and City Furniture Design Award in 2017, an accolade that recognizes world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative designs that showcase unmatched professionalism, genius, and contribute to societal wellbeing.