Proto3000 have three dimensionally printed a soccer ball to celebrate that most auspicious of footballing extravaganzas, the World Cup. The football has been illustrated with the colourful variety of the national flags of the participating countries, one per panel on the multi-coloured ball. Proto3000 says that the technicolour feat has been produced to provide an example of the outstanding capabilities of modern advanced multi-colour, multi-material additive manufacturing.
Proto3000 provides rapid prototyping, 3D printing, 3D scanning and 3D CAD for their product design, manufacturing, engineering and dental services. To illustrate the capabilities of their cutting edge addivitive manufacturing machines, the company decided to capture the spirit of the moment by celebrating the international spectacular that is the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
3D printed on a Stratasys Connex500 the football showcases its multi-material capabilities.The Objet500 Connex offers multi-material 3D printing in a build envelope of 500 x 400 x 200mm (19.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in.) using simultaneous multi-material PolyJet technology, the Objet500 Connex can 3D print in up to fourteen different materials as a single output.Stratasys PolyJet 3D printers can produce prototypes and productswith a 16-micron layer resolution and an accuracy up to a tenth of a millimeter.
Transparent VeroClear material was used for the main body net of the geometry, which allowed the use of multi-colour stickers placed inside the form. The method of construction prodvided maximum strength for the ball, whilstensuring that the flags remaining visible from the outside when the net was assembled. The net uses snap features on the edges of the polygons for easy assembly using the rubber simulating material properties of Stratasys’ TangoBlack Plus.
All-in-all this ball is an interesting application of 3D printing technology. It’s worth taking time out to watch the process, which is far more complex than a simple file-to-print. The 3D printing here is part of a multi-stage product construction, but still the technology involved is impressive. The following video may take a bit of the magic away from the end goal, a little like close-ups of Maradona’s hand in the 1986 match between England and Argentina, but nevertheless looking back on the outcome, the end result still remains the same…
