Tensegrity Sculpture

thingiverse

I'm curious about what people are interested in, so let's see if you want more of this kind of thing by clicking the "LIKE" button. There's plenty to learn from tensegrity, as NASA is finally catching on too. I've noticed that this post is getting a lot of views, but surprisingly few downloads. Maybe it's just too big for most people, or maybe assembling it looks like a daunting task? Here's an easy-to-assemble design (it prints with supports that hold it together while you set up the tension lines, then remove the support). Check it out on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3221097 Tensegrity is a fascinating concept that's been around for years, popularized by Buckminster Fuller and his student Kenneth Snelson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Snelson). The idea is that structures can be incredibly durable and strong, even more so than they appear, when forces of compression and tension are carried by separate elements. Take a look at this short video to see what it looks like when assembled. It's easiest to build on a fixture, which I've provided. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/5QmdnuAPojs