2017

Case study (and bachelor thesis) about optimized lightweight downhill skateboard trucks, which are designed to be manufactured by SLM. The project should show the new possibilities for structural lightweight designs through the method of topological optimization and by the usage of lattice structures. The main goal is to reach a higher stiffness combined with less weight compared to on the market available skateboard trucks. And it should show how additive manufacturing can push the boundaries of extreme sports, which lives from lightweight designs. This should be achieved by two versions, a sandwich design with an along the force path graduated lattice core and a topological optimized thin shell (see photo) and a hybrid version, which combines an organic form with a graduated lattice core and new structures. Afterwards the trucks will be tested under real conditions...

Best student project and 3DPC 2017 winner in the category Design.

Prize:

• 3000 Euro
• and the MakerBot Replicator Mini+
• as well as designreport subscription.

Jury comment: It´s so lightweight, that even Marty Mc Fly could hover on it.

The ancient Roman town of Palmyra in Syria was partly destroyed by ISIS in 2013. The town is still in an active warzone and historians believe most of the historic remains are irreparably damaged. Therefore the #NEWPALMYRA initiative was started with the goal of rebuilding the town as a digital 3D model. CONCR3DE took it upon itself to print this piece - a part of the Arch of Palmyra. In order to do that we developed our own 'recipe', our own material system, for the inkjet printer (a Zcorp 310). This recipe allows us to print a type of beige stone that is very strong and closely resembles the original material. The material costs are extremely low: filling the powder box cost us ~3€. This means our process has the potential to be highly scalable. As a next step we would love to print more and bigger pieces in order to conserve the memory of a town before it is lost forever.

3DPC 2017 winner in the category Material.

Prize:

• 3000 Euro for both projects Salt Coral and Palmyra rebuilt
• as well as the designreport subscription.

Jury comment: Impressive material research by using locally sourced materials abandoned all around the planet.
Might be an impact in future architecture.

Large scale desalination of seawater in places like the Persian Gulf, California and Australia lead to many issues regarding brine (salt) disposal. Abu Dhabi for example is already stopping the discharge of brine in the sea and is now dumping their residual salt in the desert. This is an issue that will only get worse in the 21st century, as our planet heats up and the demand for fresh water grows. In order to call attention to this issue and to show that innovative, clean solutions might be available we 3D printed this brain coral-like lamp in salt, which is now a waste material in many dry areas. We developed a unique salt material that can be printed using inkjet technology. The beauty of this material is its translucency as it gives off a wonderful diffuse glow when the light shines through. To protect it from water we infiltrated the lamp with a bio resin.

3DPC 2017 winner in the category Material.

Prize:

• 3000 Euro for both projects Salt Coral and Palmyra rebuilt
• as well as the designreport subscription.

Jury comment: Impressive material research by using locally sourced materials abandoned all around the planet.
Might be an impact in future architecture.

Computer-aided design & 3D printing cut lead time to 48h, so that in the future every patient can get a custom-fit and comfortable orthosis:
Of every patient with suspected fracture of the cervical spine, a CT image is taken. From this, the anatomy (skin, bones) is extracted.
The anatomy is corrected from the misalignment (actual position) to the desired position. The shape of the orthosis is then automatically tailored to the patient.
To save material and weight, the orthosis is optimised based on the patient load (topology optimisation.
The final CAD design is checked for printability. The orthosis is then produced by laser sintering in a certified 3D printing centre close to the hospital.
Thanks to the e-tailored orthosis, the physician may treat the patient without any further adjustments. Assembly is done with ergonomic clips instead of screws. This offers advantages in daily washing of the patient by nurses and during control imaging without disturbing metal artefacts.

3DPC 2017 winner in the category MedTech.

Prize:

• 2000 Euro
• as well as the designreport subscription.

Project description: The Cervical Orthosis “Emydura” is the first 3D-printed bespoke neck-brace. It is elegant, lightweight and reliably supports the patient.

Jury comment: How we all want it to be: light, stable, wearable, and adabtable to individuals.

PRINT A DRINK merges methods from robotics, life sciences, and design to explore a new field of 3D-printing. Rather than building up objects layer by layer, the process uses a high-end industrial robot to accurately inject microliter-drops of edible liquid into a cocktail. Within a minute, it can build up complex 3D structures in a wide range of drinks – creating fascinating augmented cocktails using natural ingredients.
In design theory, the competence of "experimental thinking"; is often attributed to designers. It is the ability to link individual components from different fields to create a new complex. In a world that often seems to be lost in disciplines, it is important to re-establish links between the areas with inter- and transdisciplinary projects. The designer becomes a synthetic and reinforces the role of creatives as the driving force for innovation. It is exemplary for this approach and pushes the boundaries of 3D-printing into an entirely new field.

3DPC 2017 winner in the category Event.

Prize:

• 2000 Euro
• as well as the designreport subscription.

Project description: PRINT A DRINK is the world`s first 3D printing process for drinks and other liquid foods.

Jury comment: Opens a conversation in chemical 3D printing by using materials which repel each other in a similar manner as oil repels water.

With a structure printed on a stretched fabric it is possible to “program” a textile. The goal of the project was to discover rules and evaluating the possibilities of this technology. After several test prints I decided to script a simulation to make predictions about the behaviour of the textile. This shortcut safes time and material, simulating the effect of different structures on the fly. The results could be used as cushion, or even in the field of noise insulation.

3DPC 2017 winner in the category FashionTech.

Prize:

• 3000 Euro
• as well as the designreport subscription.

Project description: With a structure printed on a stretched fabric it is possible to “program” a textile.

Jury comment: Pushing fashion forward into new dimensions by inventing his unwrapping software, a scalable concept.

By setting so called fixed points a doctor can easily customise this medical cast to specific injuries and improve healing significantly. The advantage is that medical knowledge and experience can influence the algorithm but on the other hand there is no special computer literacy or ability of abstraction required. The doctor just marks the significant spots directly on the body part which is scanned afterwards. The parametrically made cast can be printed in hours and is also cheaper than a conventional model. It can be worn with tightening straps or as an insertion in a special glove. This algorithm can also be applied to any other part of the body which makes it an innovative compromise between expensive orthoses and simple plaster casts.

3DPC 2017 winner in the category MedTech.

Prize:

• 2000 Euro
• as well as the designreport subscription.

Project description: RIG3D is a 3D printed anatomically customized medical cast which can be perfectly adapted to specific injuries of its users.

Jury comment: This is a great concept for using 3D printing technology for those who have no knowledge about it, the medical users.