The Shaper of Things to Come

Written By: Mike Tidmarsh, Global Chief Technology Officer, Ogilvy

IN THE WOODWORKING GAME POWER HAS MOSTLY BEEN A SUBSTITUTE FOR SPEED AND MUSCLE, NOT FOR SKILL...

My Grandfather was a carpenter. He was the real deal – possessing old-school skills with hand-tools that now feel closer to artisanal artistry than they do industrial graft. In his home town, his work was prolific – from the neighbor’s front door to the filling station roof to the church pews – his talents helped to shape them all.

Amidst this, he succeed in sharing his passion with me. The smell of sawdust triggers an immediate sense memory of childhood weekends messing around in his workshop. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I now have a workshop of my own. It’s not nearly as productive as my grandfather’s – I’ve chosen a different profession to feed my family – but I often wonder what he’d make of it were he still alive. Or, more specifically, what he’d make of the tools – the power tools – it contains. And, in particular, one that arrived earlier this year.

THE SHAPER ORIGIN.

In the woodworking game, power has mostly been a substitute for speed and muscle, not for skill – power tools are, if you like, the faster and more efficient way to convert lumber into sawdust and firewood (and occasionally furniture).

Shaper’s new tool, the Origin – a portable, handheld CNC router – is a game changer in this regard, as it uses power not only to work faster, but to very directly substitute for skill in the making process. Which is handy for those of us whose skills don’t quite match our passion – but, viewed through a wider lens, also conceivably the first in a range of connected tools that will help to spearhead growth in the power tool market from $25Bn in 2021 to its projected $33Bn by 2028. But I’m ahead of myself... To the uninitiated, you might be wondering what a CNC router does, why this tool is different, and why it’s worth reading about even if your business (or even your weekends) isn’t preoccupied by timber selection and woodgrain direction.

In simple terms, it’s a cutting device – computer controlled – that uses a rotating blade to very precisely cut wood to exact patterns that can be programmed into it. Which isn’t a new concept – CNC has existed for a long time. However, a few things are very different with this wundertool – and especially the experience that’s been built around it. Collectively it offers some useful lessons for any business currently wrestling with the digitization of its products and services.

FIRST, THERE’S THE MACHINE ITSELF.

It’s handheld, meaning it can be taken and used pretty much anywhere. ‘Traditional’ CNC requires a fixed piece of plant, specialist facilities and dedicated human operators to program it – all of which serve to limit its application, and make it the preserve of light industrials. Out of the reach of individual trades people – and not even the same universe as the hobbyist. Making it portable required its designers and makers solve a number of difficult experience challenges – from making it super easy to create and load complex patterns for cutting, right through to making a machine that’s pushed around by humans able to cut with laser-accurate precision … regardless of how ham-handed the operator. They’ve achieved this by creating a unique on-tool interface that allows patterns to be very easily created either directly on the device, or on software like Adobe Illustrator (then uploaded onto the machine over WiFi or memory stick as standard SVG files). These uploaded designs then show up on the devices screen for precise placement on the workpiece, along with an on-screen, SatNavlike experience guiding the user which way to push and how quickly. Servos in the cutter head then guide its precise placement to ensure unerring, repeatable accuracy in the cut. A five year old could do it.

SECOND, THERE’S THE DEVICE’S OS.

The tool is powered by a unique Operating System. Since its initial market release, the OS has had eight upgrades – adding incremental capability to the tool with every release. So no longer is the tool static – it’s been fundamentally redefined into an object that regularly reinvents and refreshes itself, overhauling and improving the on-tool experience as it evolves.

THIRDLY, THERE’S THE ORIGIN ‘PLATFORM’.

Were it just the tool in isolation it would already be impressive. But the whole system has been built around the platform concept, connecting users as an online community to share not only tips, experience and advice, but also to create a market through which digital designs can be bought and sold – instantly opening up ways for users to create a new revenue stream. Together with the regular OS updates, this platform opens up a rich seam of ongoing customer engagement where for the owner there’s direct and immediate value from doing so.

For those holding onto such crafts as one of the remaining bastions that’s largely techfree, Shaper’s Origin may be an unwelcome arrival. For me and, I like to think my grandfather would share this opinion, it’s the start of new era of purely additive connected creativity.

Checkout Shapertools.com for more info.