3D printing is gaining more momentum and popularity than ever before! Designers and architects around the world are now embracing 3D printing for the creation of almost all kinds of products and structures. It is a technique that is being widely used in product design, due to its simple and innovative nature. But designers aren’t just using 3D printing to create basic models, they’re using it in some amazing ways too! From an electric violin with a 3D printed body to a pair of 3D printed shoes that will make you feel like Bigfoot – the scope of this trusted technique is limitless! Dive into this collection of humble yet innovative 3D printed designs.
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1. Karen Ultralight Electric Violin
While the name Karen Ultralight Electric Violin may not be the best nickname for this instrument, it’s definitely the kind you won’t be able to ignore. Conceived by Anima Design for Katahashi Instruments, the Karen Ultralight is a dynamic electric violin that ditches conventional wooden acoustic chambers for something more eye-catching.
Why is it remarkable?
The violin comes with a relatively hollow body made through a generative design, which still provides strength with minimal use of material. The 3D printed generative frame sits atop a carbon fiber body, with a birchwood fingerboard for an elevated yet familiar playing experience. Working like an electric guitar, the Karen Ultralight has a 1/4-inch jack output, but it even has an internal 9V battery and headphone jack so you can ‘quietly’ play music directly into your headphones without disturbing the neighbors. .
What we like
- It uses a popular design technique called generative design.
- A slot in the back allows you to fit a 9V battery and connect your own headphones to the Karen, allowing you to play silently, right into your ear.
what we don’t like
2. The Cryptide sneaker
The Cryptide shoe was designed by Stephan Henrich for Sintratec. The German architect and designer devised a complete 3D pair of shoes intended to be laser sintered with a flexible TPE material. Using a Sintratec S2 System 3D printer, the shoes were formed and printed.
Why is it remarkable?
The Cryptide presents a sole with an open design. The designer said it was made possible by the production of SLS (selective laser sintering) and a material called Sintratec TPE elastomer. Simply put, SLS is additive manufacturing that harnesses a laser to sinter particles into a stronger 3D structure. Henrich and Sintratec worked together to bring the shoe design to life.
What we like
- The size and shape can be adapted to the user’s foot.
- They remind us of the Adidas Futurecraft 4D!
what we don’t like
- They don’t rate high on aesthetics + style.
- Shoes will leave strange footprints.
3. Weaver+
We|aver+ or Weaver+, for example, 3D prints something similar to knitted fabric, except it uses elastic TPU as the material. The shoes you print actually look more like chain mail than conventional cloth, and it’s not without reason.
Why is it remarkable?
The loose, hollow-knit construction gives the shoes the flexibility to support children’s growing feet. However, at the same time, the shoe also offers stable support to make sure that the heels do not lose their flexibility in the long term.
What we like
- Designed to feel good but also look distinctive
- The design allows the shoes to stretch in one direction while providing stability in the perpendicular direction.
what we don’t like
4. The Vine Collection
The Vine collection includes a vase-shaped container, plate tray, basket and bowl that look like a series of wooden dowels twisted to create pleasing curves and shapes. No additional connecting pieces or adhesives were used to finish their shapes, ensuring the products are sustainable and recyclable from start to finish.
Why is it remarkable?
The twisted shapes are a testament to the capabilities of Forust’s 3D printer, but also serve as metaphors for the organic nature of the trees that eventually end up as source materials for these products.
What we like
- The technology actually supports recreating the appearance of different wood grains, including those from endangered trees.
what we don’t like
5. The Blizzfosser
Customized for each person’s crevices between the teeth, the Blizzflosser is the brainchild of Chris Martin, who has already made us fans with the oddly productive toothbrush.
Why is it remarkable?
The Blizzflosser comes with soft floss lined according to an individual’s dentition. It is washable and reusable. The dental floss lined in the gadget is thin to glide through the spaces between the teeth and does not damage the gums. Getting one of these to suit you is simple; Blizzbrush sends you a special double-sided tray of paste that you bite into to leave approximately 5mm deep impressions of your upper and lower dentures. You then take photos of your production and send it to the company who, based on the images, customizes and 3D prints an entire dental floss for you.
What we like
- Replicates manual flossing techniques.
what we don’t like
- People used to flossing may not like this new technique.
6. Mini clutch bags
These mini clutch bags are evidently inspired by organic patterns and structures, like something from underwater flora and fauna. Such designs are extremely difficult and expensive to produce using traditional methods.
Why is it remarkable?
Ironically, it is more expensive and more wasteful if complicated designs like these are produced in small numbers. However, these seaweed-inspired fashion accessories are not only intricate, but also sustainable, made possible by another marvel of human ingenuity, the 3D printer.
What we like
- The organic patterns are based on 3D scans of natural topologies of algae collected off the coast of Malibu in California.
- The voids created by the patterns not only allow you to have a slight view of what is inside the bag, but also make it lighter.
what we don’t like
7. Otrivin Air Lab 3D Printed Products
Mother Nature already has her own tiny air purifiers, and not only can we use them to clean the air, but we can also harvest them to create products that won’t harm the planet. That is the proposition that the interactive Otrivin Air Lab exhibit in London is trying to present, and it is drawing visitors not only to observe the process but also to actively participate in it. The space is enclosed in a light and reversible wooden structure, and one of the walls houses twelve “photobioreactors”. These are tall glass containers filled with ten liters of live photosynthetic microalgae that absorb CO2 and release oxygen while producing biomass in the process. Every day, that wall can absorb 240 g of CO2 and spit out 180 g of oxygen, as well as 84 g of biomass.
Why is it remarkable?
Visitors to the lab can participate in the daily collection of that biomass product which is then turned into bioplastics, biorubbers and 3D printing filaments. These raw materials can be used to create biodegradable and sustainable products, such as vases and even stools. Some might find it a bit unsettling, but the fact that you’re sitting on what is practically CO2 and air pollution should feel invigorating. We may not be able to completely eradicate unclean air, but we can at least turn it into something harmless and useful.
What we like
- The lab is meant to show the feasibility and sustainability of a circular economy.
- Nasal health company Otrivin, which collaborated on this exhibit, will use this process to create their Fibonacci NetiPot nasal sprays.
what we don’t like
8. The Polyformer
The Polyformer seems interesting from the start, and its name sounds like something out of fictional literature. Its translucent white appearance is due to the fact that it is made from recycled PET plastic bottles, giving it a look that also speaks to its purpose.
Why is it remarkable?
In short, the machine cuts PET bottles and melts them down into filaments that are only 1.75mm in diameter. These recycled plastic threads can be used in regular 3D printers to create more stuff, probably with the same distinctive translucent look as Polyformer.
What we like
- Offers an alternative to the traditional way of recycling PET bottles
- The designer has made available to you all the information you need to recreate it yourself.
what we don’t like
9. Angled Brackets
Designed to easily become the centerpiece of any geek’s table, these stands are 3D printed to near scale and designed to easily fit most standard headsets (and even VR headsets!)
Why is it remarkable?
Although each headphone holder is 3D printed (and you can even see the lines on some of them), it also has an amazing amount of detail. Take, for example, the Chewbacca headphone holder just below. This is because Angled partners with designers and artists to release new variants and models online. Artists create detailed models that are approved by the Angled team based on size, proportions, and their ability to print without glitches or errors. Once the Angled team approves a design, it arrives in your store, and for each sale, the artist receives a commission.
What we like
- They can be customized and painted to make them even more realistic.
- It has stands that hold your Xbox or PS controllers
what we don’t like
10. His
Wabo is a collection of hand boards that are created from plastic waste produced from 3D printed prototypes. Eight million pieces of plastic reach the ocean every day. That’s a lot of plastic. While some brands commit to clever sustainable practices that are more about marketing than carbon-neutral manufacturing, other brands are learning to do something with the plastic waste they produce.
Why is it remarkable?
Multidisciplinary design studio Uido Design is known for its catalog of 3D printable product designs and their team is doing something about the waste they produce during the design process. By shredding the plastic waste produced by 3D printing into pieces, Uido Design uses the waste to create hand boards for users to navigate on ocean waves.
What we like
- The hand boards are made by hand.
what we don’t like
- It’s not a necessary product, but it’s still fun!