The Purmundus Challenge 2018 3D printing design award took place on the 15 November in Frankfurt as part of Formnext 2018.
A registered trademark of cirp, a German prototyping and small-batch production company, Purmundus invites challengers from around the world to participate in a theme-based 3D printing design contest.
Christoph Behling, founder of Christoph Behling Design, and Purmundus challenge 2018 jury member, said:
“The Purmundus challenge highlights how 3D printing is changing all of the topologies that have been around for decades and centuries, and creating entirely new forms with entirely new functions.”
Purmundus 2018 was sponsored by 3D Systems, EOS, Materialise and 3D Printing Industry, among others.
The design of the future challenge
The Purmundus design challenge has been running since 2012. Last year, the theme of Purmundus was “Fusion – 3D printing intelligently combined“. And like previous editions, Purmundus 2018 also had a theme: “3D printing gears up our future.” This theme explored designs for future living, and what role 3D printing will play in that context.
Corinna Ray, the head of the Purmundus challenge, previously commented on the theme, “3D printing has what it takes to influence our future in a way that is both lasting and positive. It gears us up for all eventualities.”
The Purmundus challenge 2018
The contest is open to the international design and 3D printing community, which includes individual designers, institutions, and companies. This year, 34 contestants took part in Purmundus from all over the world.
The total prize money was worth €6,000, with the winner of the 1st prize taking €3,000. Furthermore, the winner of the 1st prize also received a solidThinking Suite, a design software by Altair, a 3D software company.
In addition to the first three prizes, three more award categories were also included: special mention, innovation prize, and a public choice award. Furthermore, an audience award was chosen by visitors at the Formnext over the course of the exhibition.
To win a prize the contestants had to convince the jury that their design was innovative, sustainable and a usable product.
Winner of the Purmundus gold trophy
The first prize this year went to Ricardo Simian of 3D Music Instruments. Simian submitted an SLS printed cornetti, a Renaissance and Baroque era wind instrument. The 3D printed instrument is made of a flexible nylon polymer, which is heat resistant up to 80°C.
Aarish Netarwala, an industrial designer, was the winner of the second prize. Netarwala made the Adidas Grit shoe, in collaboration with Adidas, already exploring 3D printing for shoe design.
Contrary to the standard purpose of shoes, the Grit makes it difficult for the wearer to run. The surface of the Grit replicates soft sand. This tires the runner more quickly than usual running shoes.
The third prize went to Dr. Christoph Kiener and Manuel Biedermann from Siemens AG, who designed a bionic fuel burner. The bionic fuel burner employs an organic design and can tolerate firing temperatures of up to 1500°C.
Three additional Purmundus design awards were:
– Special Mention: Mit 4D-Druck zur Bewegung is designed by Dorothea Lang in collaboration with German prosthetic manufacturer Otto Bock HealthCare. The Bewegung is a 4D printing inspired fabric that can be used a patient-specific bandage
– Innovation Prize went to Javier G. Fernandez and Stylianos Dritsas from the Singapore University of Technology and Design. The two researchers made a cellulose-based biodegradable 3D printing material.
– Public Choice Award went to Sebastian Hermann of Sandhelden GmbH & Co. KG, a bathroom design studio. Hermann submitted a sand 3D printed bathtub.
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Featured image shows Purmundus Challenge 2018 at Formnext. Photo via Purmundus Challenge
