3D Column Trophy

myminifactory

This is my design for the 2018 3D Printing Industry Awards, and I'm excited to share it with you. As someone who loves mechanical things, I drew inspiration from twisted spur gears when creating this unique trophy. Each of the four columns is made up of these intricate gears, which are clearly visible in the renders. But what's really interesting is the internal channel that runs through each column - a triple helix spiral that echoes the shape of the gears themselves. Take a closer look at the top bases of each column, and you'll notice they're knurled on the sides with tiny micro features. And sitting atop each base is a custom 3D logo, carefully crafted to give this model its distinctive look. Although I optimized it for an SLA printer, I wanted to acknowledge the capabilities of FDM printers by incorporating what looks like infill in the hollowed-out logos. Each of these four logos was designed to appear at a different z-percentage of completion, giving them a unique, layered appearance. On the front faces of each logo, you'll see a patterned hexagon micro feature - it's a small but thoughtful touch that adds depth and visual interest to this already-impressive design. The base of the trophy is a stunning example of varied height honeycomb patterns, with the Proto Labs logo cleverly incorporated into each hexagon as a thank-you gesture for printing the winning design. It's a simple yet effective way to add complexity and visual appeal. In the middle of the trophy, I created a partial lattice cube that's meant to evoke the idea of flowing liquid material being built up from the bottom of the cube and slowly covering the lattice portion. It's a clever way to showcase the capabilities of 3D printing, and it adds an extra layer of visual interest to this already-compelling design. To summarize my approach to the design criteria: * Lattice: I achieved this through the center cube and custom infill feature on each 3D logo. * Internal Channels: The triple helix in each twisted spur gear column and custom infill feature on each 3D logo serve as internal channels. * Micro Features: You'll find knurled edges on the column top bases, multiple hexagon patterns on the front faces of the 3D logos, and the Proto Labs logo on every hexagon face of the trophy base. This model is optimized for SLA printing, but it can also be printed on a basic FDM printer without any supports. For the best results, I recommend using a translucent or clear material to showcase the internal details - an SLA printer will really bring out the tiny micro features that make this trophy so impressive. I built this model in a combination of SolidWorks and Meshmixer, making it completely parametric and easily adjustable. The renders were created using Fusion 360 and SimLab, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to showcase my skills in this challenging and informative contest.