Since 2012, German rapid prototyping company cirp GmbH has held the annual purmundus challenge.
Open to entries from across the globe, the competition invites designers and engineers to push the limits of 3D printing.
Fusion – 3D printing intelligently combined
This year’s brief is “Fusion – 3D printing intelligently combined”. An excerpt from the full tender document reads,
“Our environment and our surroundings are set to become increasingly hybridised in the years ahead, and so are we – the people living in them. […] It is possible for a person to hold a number of different views. Hipsters who consider “sustainability” to be their motto for life still carry a smart phone in their pockets. The end of either/or has been reached.”
With this, permundus are looking for entries that use 3D printing to fuse two opposite concepts, e.g. analog and digital, natural and artificial, additive and subtractive.
Designs will be assessed based on 8 different criteria, design; degree of innovation; observation of the brief; appropriateness of design for 3D printing; comparison with means of conventional production; economic potential; societal potential; and contemporary relevance.
Inspiration
For inspiration, entrants can review designs from previous years including 2016’s winning entry from prosthetic and orthotic specialist Mecuris.
Ideas could also be gleaned from the purmundus design label’s lighting and jewelry portfolio.
And the winner is…
Winners will be decided by an international jury of professionals including representatives of Volkswagen AG, Beijing University of Technology and German design studio Ippolito Fleitz Group.
In addition to an official permundus challenge trophy and certificate, the top three entires will be provided with an annual license for topology optimization in solidThinking design platform.
Runners up will also receive cash prizes of €1,000 (third place) and €2,000 (second) respectively, with first place earning €3,000 and access to the full suite of solidThinking design products.
The deadline for entries is 30 September 2017. Following this, a shortlist of the designs will be exhibited 14-17 November at formnext 2017 in Frankfurt.
Registration for this year’s competition can be made here.
Interested in attending this year’s formnext or other 3D printing trade shows? Check out our events calendar for more details.
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Featured image: Fusion, 3D printing intelligently combined. Brief for the purmundus challenge 2017. Image via purmundus challenge, chirp GmbH
