Unless you’ve spent the better part of the last year living outside of this galaxy, chances are you’ve noted a strong hint of Star Wars fever in the air as The Force Awakens prepares for its upcoming 2015 holiday release. One robotic character that will be rolling around the screen this December is the BB-8, a spherical droid that was unveiled to the public last April. When the non-profit BB-8 Builders Club was born shortly thereafter, diehard fans from around the world came together to focus on building high-quality, full-scale BB-8 droids.
Two collaborative members of the BB-8 Builders Club named Michael Erwin and Tiny Panganiban decided to utilize 3D design and prototyping to create their version of the BB-8 Droid. Working with one another from halfway across the world, Panganiban would upload his latest design files during his working hours, which would later be reviewed and tested by Erwin once his work day began.
In order for Erwin, Panganiban, and the rest of the Builders Club to maintain consistency and accessibility while exchanging designs with one another, the group decided to adopt Simplify3D Software, helping club members stay on the same page during their collaborative efforts. This dynamic and universal software has helped the duo of Erwin and Panganiban to constantly improve upon their BB-8 design at any hour, while they’ve slowly improved their 3D printing technology during the process, in order to improve the quality of their droid parts.
“We realized that many of the club members were using different slicing software packages. We were having difficulty communicating in a common language,” said Michael Erwin. “Simplify3D is simply the fastest way to improve the quality of their prints and make their lives easier.”
The STL files for the BB-8 droid were released to the public last October, allowing any 3D printing and Star Wars enthusiast to double-down on the excitement and print their own droid companion. The BB-8 Builders Club has consistently grown in size and popularity, claiming over 1,800 international members and also gaining official recognition from LucasFilm Ltd. The club has also put a keen focus on aiding the education system as well, having donated filament and Simplify3D Software to a Texas high school class undertaking the BB-8 project themselves.
Download the STL files at the BB-8 Builders Club Facebook page and print yourself a full-scale BB-8 droid to take along with you to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in a theater near you.
