# 3D-Printed Wood Joinery Studio Minale-Maeda's Keystones Make Furniture Assembly Easy By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-10-08 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wood-joinery References: [design-milk](http://design-milk.com/keystones-studio-minale-maeda/) & [minale-maeda](http://www.minale-maeda.com) Studio Minale-Maeda's wood joinery Keystones are less permanent than a nail, but also more attractive than a plain wooden peg. The 3D-printed wooden connectors are designed so that it's as easy as possible to assemble a piece of furniture, without the need for tools, or tons of tiny fasteners. Plus, as with the beauty of [3D printing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-3d-printed-suitcase), the fasteners can be made on demand at home, so that only the most substantial components of a furniture piece need to be shipped. Since [flatpacking](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bug-collection-1) is a huge issue that comes with furniture, this solution makes it easy to pack the slim wooden pieces into a box and worry about the fasteners when you're ready to assemble. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 53% | Activity: 24% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **3D Printing in Furniture Assembly:** The use of 3D-printed wooden connectors in furniture assembly allows for easy and tool-free construction, disrupting traditional joinery methods. - **On-demand Manufacturing of Fasteners:** The ability to 3D print wooden joinery fasteners at home eliminates the need for shipping small and unnecessary components, presenting a disruptive innovation opportunity in the manufacturing industry. - **Efficient Flatpacking Solutions:** The use of 3D-printed wood joinery enables slim and space-saving packaging for furniture, revolutionizing the way furniture is shipped and stored. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Furniture Manufacturing:** The adoption of 3D-printed wooden connectors in furniture manufacturing can streamline the production process and offer innovative assembly options to consumers. - **3D Printing Industry:** The development of 3D-printed wood joinery opens up new possibilities for the 3D printing industry by expanding its applications into the furniture sector. - **Logistics and Shipping:** The implementation of efficient flatpacking solutions through 3D-printed wood joinery can greatly impact the logistics and shipping industry by reducing packaging sizes and improving supply chain efficiency. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Simplistic Wooden Side Tables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/studio-nuo.md) - [Flat-Packed Wooden Stool](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flat-stool-concept.md) - [Simplistic Fastening Furniture Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/easystory.md) - [Comfy Printed Component Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3dprinted-chair-design.md) - [Modular Tool-Free Furniture Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xylo-living-modular-furniture-system.md) - [Flatpack Single-Piece Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leaning-chair-set.md) - [Clippable Furniture Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clippable-furniture.md) - [Self-Shaping Wooden Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hygroshape.md) - [3D-Printed Lounge Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/konvergence-chair.md)