Tag Archives: 3D printing

BMW uses 3D printing for German bobsleigh team’s footwear

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Most sports are dictated by the skill and prowess of the athletes competing but there are also some sports where the sportswear and footwear that they wear can contribute to how they perform. But not all of these sports have customizable or flexible footwear to help the athletes out. Bobsleigh is one such sport and with the Winter Olympics a year away, Germany is partnering with BMW to give their team better footwear to help them compete at the top level.

Designer: BMW

The BMW Group is the technology partner of the German Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federatin (BSD) and they have come up with customizable spiked shoes for the bobsleigh team using the power of 3D printing. Regular bobsleigh footwear have defined rows of nails attached to the toe area but these are not replaceable or moveable. Based on track and field shoes, which are more flexible, they came up with threads for screw spikes which are used to attach spike plates on which spike nails can be distributed.

This means that the spikes can be adjusted to a large selection of shoe styles, sizes, and other aspects to make them more comfortable and suitable for the athletes’ needs. You can also adjust the material and geometry of the plates and the placement of the spike nails, giving better acceleration according to the power transmission on the ice. And since 3D printing is used, they get to be more flexible and test out the spikes and make adjustments, without having to spend a fortune and spend so much time manufacturing.

They were able to test out the spike plates during the Bobsleigh World Cup (which ends later this month) and so far, they were able to get positive feedback from the athletes that they made them for. Of course there are still changes that need to be made but they do have 11 months to go for it before the Winter Olympics in February 2025. We’ll also see by then what effect these spikes have on the German team’s performance.

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Meet The World’s Tallest 3D-Printed Tower – A Performance Space In The Swiss Alps

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Coined the White Tower or Tor Alva, this majestic tower is said to be the world’s tallest 3D-printed building, and is currently being prepared for assembly in a Swiss village called Mulegns. Designed by researchers from ETH Zurich, the tower will be constructed from a hundred columns, with an impressive performance space perched on top. Created in collaboration with the cultural institution Nova Fundaziun Origen, the White Tower will be printed in different sections, then transported to the site, and assembled in the remote village in the Swiss Alps.

Designer: ETH Zurich x Nova Fundaziun Origen

The White Tower has an interesting Baroque-inspired style and will have a height of 100 meters. Massive 3D-printed columns will uphold five floors, and a semi-open facade. The facade is a removable lightweight membrane that will protect the inside of the tower from weather conditions. Visitors will be welcomed into the lower floors, which will include large columns, that form smaller cozier spaces.

The White Tower will feature a spiral staircase, that will lead them up the various floors, with each separate floor becoming visibly airier, lighter, and free-flowing, before opening into a hall on the top floor. The hall will function as a performance space for concerts and theater and will accommodate 45 visitors, including seating for them and a stage. Once the performances end, the tower will be disassembled, and rebuilt somewhere else.

The 3D-printing process will take around 900 hours and will include robotic 3D printers that will release a soft cement-like mixture from its nozzle, extruding it in layers to form the basic structure of the different elements of the tower, which will later be assembled on-site, building the White Tower.

“The entire structure of the tower is designed using custom software that allows the precise definition of the geometry and can send the necessary data directly to the printing robots,” said ETH Zurich’s Digital Building Technologies. “This technology enables non-standard, tailor-made elements to be manufactured efficiently. These types of forms would be nearly impossible to produce at this scale using conventional technologies. In this new construction process, the tower will be assembled from 102 3D-printed individual columns. Elements are only filled with concrete where it is structurally required, which greatly reduces material use. This construction method avoids waste because no formwork for pouring concrete is necessary.”

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3D print your own transforming robots with these downloadable templates

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3D printing has already come a long way since it was first introduced in the 80s. It still hasn’t reached the levels where almost every household has one like we now have with regular printers of course. But now we’re seeing consumer-level 3D printers as well as “templates” we can download and print on our own. Even if you only have a basic knowledge of how this technology works, it’s pretty easy to try it out on your own or at least find a tutorial online on how to do it. If you’re a fan of the old school transformers, these downloadable templates will be right up your alley.

Designer: Dr. Operator

Dr. Operator has been publishing 3D model templates on Printables and they’re quirky and interesting, especially if you like toy collectibles. But instead of the usual IP-related collectibles that remain faithful copycats, you get his own take on things like Star Wars’ AT-AT, Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine, Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K, etc. If you’re a fan of the Transformers series, then you’ll appreciate his latest series of 3D models that take inspiration from our favorite robots, but adding his own style and flair (and back story).

There are currently only two templates in this series but hopefully we get more robots soon. The Ham and Cheese model is a robot that turns into, you guessed it, a ham and cheese sandwich. It was inspired by the designer’s favorite Transformer, Soundwave. The “back story” is that the Ham is an Autobot and the Cheese is a Decepticon and they decide to abandon the fight and just become a sandwich. The Hippie Van Transformer is what exactly the name says it is. There are different toy car brands but the designer says that the Transformers are still the coolest so he created this.

There is still an upcoming 3D model kit that isn’t available yet on Printables but it may just be the coolest. It’s a robot that turns into a telephone headset and may even have a built in Bluetooth module. For kids out there, a telephone is what we used to communicate before there were smartphones. We’re looking forward to what other Transformers templates he’ll be able to come up with eventually.

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3D printed elbow brace can be customized and created through an app

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3D printing has brought a lot of changes when it comes to designing products. It has made experimentation with various materials and prototyping these proposed designs easier and more efficient. We’re seeing a lot of concepts get past the initial product rendering stage just by utilizing various 3D printing techniques and tools that are now available and is constantly evolving.

Designer: Nils Sorger

The +/- Brace is one such concept for a pain relieving elbow brace that can be used when doing physical labor or any kind of sports that requires strenuous activity so you can minimize the risk of injury. It’s something that can be created and customized using an app. choosing your size, form, structure, and padding. The final product you created can then be fabricated on your own, ordered through the maker community, or ordered through the creator’s app platform.

The 3D printing and laser cutting machine is called Grasshopper with a custom built script so body measurements inputted can be used to generate the data output. They used various iterations to find the optimal pattern for the brace and ended up with the 4-way stretch softshell fabric which is made up of 49% Polyester, 30% Polyamide, 12% Polyurethane, and 9% Elasthan. This is the best one for breathability and flexibility as well as a comfortable and flexible fit so you can still do all the activities you need to do. For the additive, they also tested several FDM-printed pads and ended up with something that is like foam or gel.

After much prototyping, the +/- Brace ended up with an aesthetic that seems like a combination of a Bluetooth speaker and a honeycomb packaging. It looks pretty flexible and comfortable, which are important characteristics of this kind of product so the user will not really feel like the brace is hindering their movement. All thanks to the improvement and enhancement of the 3D printed fabric-based manufacturing plus open source process, they were able to conceptualize and actually prototype this kind of individualized brace that shouldn’t break the bank.

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Top 10 3D-Printed Ornaments to Upgrade your Christmas Tree Decoration Game

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Instead of decking the halls with boughs of holly, deck them with rolls of filament instead! Sure, that doesn’t sound particularly festive at first thought, but it’ll make much more sense when you see these absolutely gorgeous 3D-printed Christmas ornaments we’ve hand-picked for you. We scoured the internet to find some of the most eye-catching 3D prints that perfectly capture the holiday spirit, from geometric snowflakes to some pretty beautiful-looking baubles. Ditch the boring old store-bought ornaments this year, fire up your 3D printer, and make your own (or rent a 3D printer for cheap). They’re sure to add a touch of individuality to your tree this year, they’ll print in mere hours instead of taking days to deliver, and you’ll definitely have people asking you where you got them!

1. Christmas Tree Ornament Set by Popandsicle

Popandsicle’s Christmas Tree Ornament Set is a brilliant way to give your tree a unique aesthetic that’ll have friends and family wondering where you got those ornaments from. The captivating spiral shape of the ornaments instantly catches your eye – even more so when printed in a metallic-colored or shiny filament. Quite literally putting a ‘twist’ on traditional holiday decorations, this set features a range of designs, each optimized for 3D printing in vase mode (or printing upside down). The collection comes in a set of 6 ornaments that print rather quickly, and are free to download off Prusa’s Printables website.

2. Christmas Village by FiveNights

Less for your treetop and more for the tabletop, this 3D-printed Christmas Village is just a glorious little project with a lot of intricate details that make it a nice challenge for the seasoned printing expert. Designed to look like a cosy hilltop village, the print comes with what presumably looks like a snowcapped terrain with roads, rails, houses, and trees galore. The entire print can be done without supports, says the maker, and you’ve got a hatch at the bottom for inserting an LED lamp or your smartphone flash. Once illuminated from the inside, the village really does come to life as light makes its way through the translucent body of the print and through the doors and windows of all the houses. The print files are available for free from Ultimaker’s Thingiverse website.

3. Baby Yoda Christmas Ornament by Psdwizzard

Nothing shows you have elevated eclectic tastes more than having a Baby Yoda bauble hanging from your Christmas tree. Sure, everyone opts for the spheres, lights, stars, and personal photographs, but there’s just something so perfect about your own personal Grogu dressed as Santa hanging from your tree. This decorated character from the Mandalorian comes with its own Santa robe and hat, is is pictured here holding a decorative orb. Printing it is relatively simple, although you will require supports. The entire thing prints in a single color and needs to be post-processed and painted by hand, which should be a fun activity if you’re a fan of the Star Wars universe, eh? The Baby Yoda Christmas Ornament is available to download for free on the Thingiverse website.

4. Christmas Ball by cunicode

The beauty of these Christmas ornaments from cunicode lies in A. the fact that their complex geometry can only be machine-made using 3D printing, and B. they’re large, eye-catching, but incredibly lightweight, so you can deck your tree with as many of them without them weighing your branches down. “Since 3D Printing costs are driven by volume and material used, I designed the geometry of these balls to use minimum material while keeping maximum strength,” cunicode says. The 3D STL file for the Christmas Ball is available for free on the Thingiverse Website.

5. Deer in the Mountains by jdormer9

Yet another tabletop accessory to bring the holiday spirit, this one gets props for its artistic flair. The Deer in the Mountains print from jdormer9 is an elegant 2D graphic of a deer against white mountains. Artistically, it gets full marks for its uniquely minimalist style, although functionally I would love to have seen a built-in card holder or something that adds a little more value to this piece. However, the beauty of 3D printing is that you can optimize designs to suit your own needs. Heck, add a card-holder at the back, turn the deer’s antlers into a keychain holder, go wild! The Deer in the Mountains 3D file is available for free on the Printables website.

6. Christmas Spiral Teardrop 2023 by Scott McClurg

Scott McClurg, who also goes by his internet moniker ‘dazus’ is a pretty big deal in the 3D-printed ornament space. McClurg’s works combine geometry with tradition, resulting in some of the most hypnotic, kaleidoscopic Christmas decorations your eyes will ever see. The 2023 Christmas Spiral Teardrop is remarkable to look at, especially given that it’s printed using a plastic filament with a silver-gold metallic finish. The ornament’s undulating interweaving surfaces catch light beautifully, creating wonderful contrasts that are further punctuated by the hollow spaces. Things get even more interesting when the ornaments spin, creating a hypnotic motion that’s difficult to look away from! The 2023 Christmas Spiral Teardrop, understandably, is one of the more tricky 3D prints to execute. The ornament needs quite a few supports, McClurg mentions, and there are a few more details to keep in mind while you run this print, which can be found on the Thingiverse website, along with the free 3D file for the ornament.

7. Open Lattice Christmas Bell by Scott McClurg

It was a pretty herculean task zeroing down on just one of McClurg’s ornaments, so here’s another one that we can’t stop admiring. With a similar interwoven hypnotic lattice-esque design like the Christmas Spiral Teardrop, the Open Lattice Christmas Bell is a gorgeous themed ornament that adds gravitas and pizzazz to your tree without adding any weight. Its complex design does present a few challenges while printing, but it’s nothing a seasoned 3D printing enthusiast can’t handle. We recommend using a metallic-finish filament to give the bell some shimmer! The Open Lattice Christmas Bell is free to download on the Thingiverse website.

8. Gimbal Christmas Ornament by Jouni Ahola

Complex 3D prints are great, but what about kinetic ones? This Gimbal Christmas Ornament isn’t the kind you’d just hang on your tree and forget about. With multiple joints, it’s the kind of ornament you’d want to fiddle with, adjusting, readjusting, and fidgeting just because it’s so much visual and tactile fun. Designed to be a single-print design, this marvel from Jouni Ahola prints flat, but can then be flipped around like a Rubik’s cube, or more accurately, a gimbal. Like the rest of the ornaments, this one too is free to download, and can be found on the Thingiverse website.

9. Merry Bird Christmas Ornament by Michiel Cornelissen

Call it an adorable ornament or a metaphor for a certain social media company, this bird-in-a-cage ornament is lightweight and exceedingly charming to look at, even though it’s literally a print of a bird trapped inside a Christmas ornament. It has all the hallmarks of a good 3D printed ornament, with its lightweight, hollow, yet intricate design. The bird is hinged, which means it swings to and fro inside its spherical cage, and although it isn’t available for free like any of the other ornaments, you can directly buy it from the Shapeways website and they’ll print it out and send the ready ornament directly to your doorstep!

10. Trippy Snowflake Kinetic Sculpture by JBV Creative

Less of an ornament and more of a kinetic toy, the Trippy Snowflake Kinetic Sculpture is something you’ll constantly find yourself reaching for, sort of like a snowglobe but more enchanting. The multi-part sculpture features a geared mechanism that causes two snowflakes to rotate in opposite directions when you crank the handle, creating a hypnotic, alluring optical illusion. Perhaps one of the most complex and lengthy builds in this collection, the sculpture has multiple parts and components that need to be printed separately (although if you have a large print bed you can print multiple parts at the same time). Given how detailed and thorough it is, this print isn’t available for free either, and the STL file will cost you $45, but the benefit is that once you buy the file, you can print as many of these as you want! Heck, gift them to friends as stocking stuffers too! You can buy the Trippy Snowflake Kinetic Sculpture 3D file on the JBV Creative website.

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Geometric coffee tables use 3D printing robots and recycled plastic to create organic forms

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3D printing has come a long way, but unless you’re using industrial printers in large factories, you’re probably limited to creating small designs or just parts of a whole. That, unfortunately, means that creators and makers aren’t able to fully express their ideas and designs, at least not those that involve pieces that can’t fit inside a commercial 3D printer. That said, you don’t have to give up your creative freedom to use an expensive production line if you can put 3D printing robots to smart use, like this sustainable plastic coffee table that is able to form organic geometric forms just by making the robot arm loop round and round.

Designer: Martin Zampach

When people think of 3D printers, they most likely think of those boxy contraptions sitting on tables, with nozzles that quickly run back and forth while oozing out hot plastic material in order to build up a three-dimensional object almost like from thin air. While this is the most common and most convenient kind of 3D printing, it has severe limitations in the size or shape of the object being made, basically anything that can fit the area and height of the printer.

LOOPS is a collection of coffee tables conceived to push the envelope of 3D printing and create objects that are larger than normal without requiring additional hardware. An industrial 3D printing robot pretty much goes round and round to create the base shape, building layer after layer of composite material until the desired form is achieved. This is the process used for creating the base of these tables, allowing the designer to apply different geometric shapes with organic forms that look like they’re literally growing before your very eyes.

The coffee tables are more than just experiments in 3D printing, they are also testaments to beautiful sustainable design. Tabletops are made from 100% recycled plastic that is crushed, melted, and then moulded from used plastic. The 3D printed bases, on the other hand, are made from composite material containing cellulose from responsible forestry. When the tables reach the end of their use, both the base and the top can be recycled or reused to extend their life in a different way.

The LOOPS coffee table collection offers a unique and novel design that pushes the boundaries of 3D printing to produce beautiful shapes and textures that almost resemble traditional ceramic creations. The variety of recycled plastics used gives each tabletop a unique appearance, both in color as well as in texture. The minimalist yet elegant designs make the coffee tables the perfect artistic centerpieces for any space, offering a thought-provoking design that opens your mind to the possibilities of sustainable 3D printing.

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This multi-filament 3D printer upgrade lets you create colorful designs effortlessly

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Never before has it been easier to create things at home thanks to 3D printers, but we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible. There are still some limitations, especially for desktop 3D printers, dictated by economies of space or price. Something that may sound as basic as 3D printing objects with multiple colors turns out to be quite a chore because most of these printers are designed to handle a single filament at a time. Most of the time, you’re forced to print different colors as separate pieces and then just assemble them after the fact, a process that takes more time than necessary and is prone to error. You could buy a larger, more expensive multi-filament 3D printer, or you can upgrade your trusty machine with this revolutionary module set that makes printing different colors or materials at the same time easy as pie.

Designer: Huseyin Ozen of Co Print

Click Here to Buy Now: $349 $580 (40% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $410,000.

Commercial 3D printers, especially the most popular FDM or Fused Deposit Modeling kind, are designed to be quick, efficient, and easy to use. Given the parts and processes involved, that means limiting the printer head to handle a single filament of material at a time. With this technique, you can only print a single color or use a single type of material for a single pass, switching filaments when you need to print out a different color or material. After that, you have to glue the pieces together, which relies on your own precision and steady hands to achieve the desired design. This has been the status quo for many years now, not unless you buy an actual multi-filament 3D printer, which is bulkier and more expensive, especially if you already have a working 3D printer or two.

ChromaPad – Excels in color, material, speed, and control, unlocking limitless potential.

Fastest Multi-color Printing Experience – ChromaPad pushes the usual boundaries of 3D printing speed for both single and multi-filament projects. Accelerate your print up to 300+ mm/s and get your project in hand three times faster.

ChromaScreen Advanced Klipper Software – Comes with features like the ability to control multiple extruders, a helpful setup wizard, and the ability to manage multiple printers at once.

Manage Multiple Printers Effortlessly – ChromaPad allows you to control up to 8 printers in a single simple panel.

The Co Print ChromaSet is a collection of modules that basically upgrades almost any old 3D printer to be able to handle multiple filaments in one go. It allows you to use the same trusted machine you’ve been working with for years and, with just a few easy-to-install parts, turn it into a multi-color, multi-material 3D printer that is just as easy to use as any other regular 3D printer. Instead of being forced to print multiple parts because they’re made of different materials or colors, you can save time and a lot of work with a single printing pass that can use a variety of colors as well as filaments, including PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, ASA, Wood, and more.

ChromaHead – Designed to match your needs on multi-filament 3D printing. When combined with ChromaPad or KCM, it minimizes all the issues that can occur such as jamming and clogging.

Filament Cutter for High Quality Prints – Powered by a robust servo motor with up to 20 kg of force and supported by a durable Japanese blade, ChromaHead’s precise filament cutting mechanism achieves a success rate of 99.9% in clean cuts.

Universal Rail Plug System – The design allows you to match with different brands and different models, and solves the compatibility issues.

Supports all the Materials you Need – Different colors, different materials. Your creative journey knows no bounds.

The different pieces of the ChromaSet work together to accomplish this seemingly magical feat. The ChromaHead with the embedded ChromaHotend, for example, attaches easily to almost any 3D printer thanks to its unique rail plug system, making it compatible with different brands, models, and mechanical setups. It is designed to support at most four filaments at the same time, with a special design that minimizes jamming and clogging, as well as employing a Japanese blade for precise and clean filament cuts. The CX-1 Extruder, engineered with Titanium gears, a dual-drive system, and high-torque features, is responsible for pushing those four filaments and can be just as easily installed on any 3D printer.

KCM (Klipper Chroma Module) – For users who already have a Klipper-based 3D printer. KCM gives you all the great features of ChromaPad right out of the box, so you don’t need to buy ChromaPad separately.

ECM (Extended Chroma Module) – Designed to increase your extruder limits. ECM allows you to add up additional 4 extruders into a single output via USB.

If you need more than four filaments, the ECM or Extended Chroma Module adds four more extruders into a single output for a total of eight. You can have up to five of these extruders for a whopping 20 filaments, each carrying a different color or type of material for an even faster workflow. Making all these different parts work together in harmony is the job of the ChromaPad, the world’s first multi-filament 3D printing pad. Running the ChromaScreen software based on Klipper Screen, the tablet gives users unprecedented control not just over multi-filament printing but as many as 8 printers at the same time as well. But if you already have a Klipper-based 3D printer, you can use the Klipper Chroma Module (KCM) instead, delivering the same features without the extra cost.

The Co Print ChromaSet was made in collaboration with major 3D printer brands, ensuring that it will work with almost all 3D printer models in the market. A $349 discounted bundle lets you get the ChromaSet with the Klipper module instead of the tablet, while the $499 set includes the ChromaPad without the KCM. Whichever bundle you choose, the ChromaSet is guaranteed to upgrade your 3D printing experience, allowing you to make magnificent colorful designs in a fraction of the time and with less effort.

Click Here to Buy Now: $349 $580 (40% off). Hurry, less than 72 hours left! Raised over $410,000.

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How this unique 3D-printed stress ball helps bring relief and fun to your mind and body

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Some of the best discoveries in human history were made by accident. Penicillin is probably the most popular example, but the X-ray, microwave ovens, and even cornflakes were all created through serendipity. Of course, accidentally discovering or creating something is one thing, but turning it into a successful and useful design requires more intentional planning and execution. Such is the fortunate series of events that started from testing 3D-printed structures and ended up creating an innovative and distinctive sphere that can do more than your average stress ball, bringing not only relief from mental and physical stress but also some fun and enjoyment, for you, your kids, and maybe even your pets.

Designers: Li Qian, Mason Wuyue Liu, Josie Shi, Suzy Zhang & Mengping Ye

Click Here to Buy Now: 3 for $35 $40 ($5 off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

3D printing has come a long way in enabling the creation of complex structures using more sophisticated materials, but there’s still a lot of room for new techniques. It was during this process of developing a lattice-based structure for a different product that a completely different creation rolled into being, almost literally. The result is the Lettuce Ball, an aptly-named lattice ball whose very structure promises the perfect amount of resistance to be used as a stress ball, a therapy ball, or even a toy.

The secret to this ball isn’t just the lattice structure but also the way it is made. For one, it uses advanced Digital Light Synthesis 3D printing technology that utilizes high-intensity light to cure specific areas of the liquid resin, yielding very precise structures as small as 1/20th of a millimeter. The ball is also printed layer by layer, just like a lettuce ball, in order to offer varying degrees of firmness that would be impossible with regular foam or air-filled stress balls.

The result is a unique-looking stress ball that offers a unique experience from all angles. In addition to just having the right amount of squishiness, the Lettuce Ball is so resilient and durable that it won’t break even from your furry pet’s powerful jaws or claws. It’s also very stretchy but will easily return to its normal, spherical form. Best of all, it’s guaranteed safe from harmful substances and can easily be washed and dried to remain hygienic, taking one more worry off your mind. Plus, the ball’s distinctive lattice structure is a sight for sore eyes, making it a great gift item or a decorative piece on your desk.

So break free from pointless and ineffective stress balls and embrace the results of advanced 3D printing and outside-the-box creative thinking with this unique lattice sphere. Whether you’re trying to remain calm in the middle of heavy traffic, calming your nerves while giving a presentation, putting pressure on sore spots on your body, or giving your furry friend a safe and durable toy, the Lettuce Ball will deliver relief and fun to soothe your whole being, and in an attractive little package, too!

Click Here to Buy Now: 3 for $35 $40 ($5 off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

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Affordable 3D-printed Bionic Prosthetic declared Luminary Winner at the 2023 Red Dot Award: Design Concept

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Securing the Luminary Winner award at this year’s Red Dot Award: Design Concept in Singapore, the Lunet makes a bold promise of restoring functionality and dexterity in the hands of amputees… without breaking the bank.

Built with a low-cost design that features parametric adjustment for different hand types, and 3D printing to bring down the cost of production, Lunet looks to deliver a more accessible future that doesn’t rely on expensive medical prosthetics. Under the right conditions, Lunet can easily be manufactured even in one’s home using desktop 3D printers and can be assembled without any fasteners or extra components. In doing so, Lunet doesn’t just restore its wearer’s fingers, it restores their lives back, giving them the ability to grip and maneuver objects while also being able to point and gesture just like most people would.

Designer: David Edquilang

A 3D-printed prototype of the Lunet prosthetic

Lunet is a mechanical prosthetic that restores a degree of functionality for finger amputees by using 3D-printed appendages. The prosthetic is produced entirely through 3D printing, eliminating the need for a production line or industrial equipment. With the right 3D files, people can print, modify, and upgrade their own prosthetics for daily as well as situational use.

The prosthetic is made with a modular design and is crafted using parametric modeling, allowing for adjustments on the fly to suit a wide variety of hand types. The final model can be easily tweaked based on the ergonomics of the wearer, allowing for a custom-made solution that fits the user’s hands and needs perfectly. “Produced entirely through 3D printing, Lunet can be manufactured quickly at a low cost and personalized in CMF to the user’s stylistic preferences,” says David Edquilang, a design student at the University of Houston.

The prosthetic features mechanical linkages that can be controlled by flexing your hand. The fingers work by using a novel, robust linkage mechanism that mimics the motion and flexibility of real fingers. The entire design features components that snap together and require zero metal fasteners or fixtures. With the help of a unique mechanism, a user-friendly modular design, and the ever-expanding accessibility of desktop 3D printing, Lunet empowers individuals with finger amputations to restore the functionality of their missing fingers. Remarkably, this innovative solution costs less than 1% of the price of existing commercially sold finger prostheses.

“Lunet is not just a sci-fi looking concept, it’s real and it works; and will be released online to everyone completely for free as an open-source design. This way, Lunet can do the most good, helping as many people as possible,” David told Yanko Design, moments after being awarded the Luminary Winner of this year’s Red Dot Award. “I believe that good design should not be exclusive only to those that have enough money to afford it. Design is about solving problems, helping the fellow human.”

Click here to view the Best Of Best Winners from this year’s Red Dot Award: Design Concept.

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