Case Study: KAI Concepts achieves same-day prototyping and durable in-water test parts with 3D Systems' Figure 4

KAI Concepts Advances Electric Hydrofoiler with Figure 4 Parts

KAI Concepts, a Bay Area engineering team behind the Jetfoiler electric hydrofoil surfboard, needed to speed up and simplify R&D by producing accurate, reliable parts for functional design testing and feedback. Their challenge was replacing slow, brittle prototypes that limited iteration and produced unreliable test data across complex systems like motors, batteries and waterproofing.

They adopted 3D Systems’ Figure 4 Standalone and Figure 4 PRO-BLK 10 material, enabling same-day, high-precision prototyping with thermoplastic-like durability. The change halved print times, increased build throughput, and produced parts that survive full in-water sessions (1–2 hours at 15–20 mph), yielding faster iterations, more reliable test data, reduced lead times and lower downstream tooling costs.

KAI Concepts

Kai Calder

Leads Logistics and Operations