Stratasys' 2017 Extreme Redesign Challenge, hosted on the GrabCAD Community, called upon tomorrow’s engineers, artists, and entrepreneurs to design a better future today.
The challenge:
Redesign an existing product to improve how a task is accomplished, or design something entirely new that addresses an unmet need. This is a test to find the most creative, mechanically sound, and realistically achievable design using 3D printing.
The winners:
1st Place, Thomas Salverson
Category: Engineering: Post-Secondary Education
School Name: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Design Name: Adjustable, Reusable and Modular (ARM) Cast
Although Thomas Salverson has no plans to be a doctor, he managed to create a new way to care for broken arms with his adjustable, reusable, and modular (ARM) Cast. After being exposed to 3D printing through his high school rocketry team, Salverson started seeking out other ways he could exercise his 3D printing skills. The ARM casts consists of a modular ring, adjustable pads and an elbow joint, all of which can be detached and then put together on the arm. The ARM cast is an improvement on the traditional fiberglass model because it is much lighter, removable, and reusable. It doesn’t need to be applied by a doctor and can be adjusted throughout the healing process.
Salverson plans to stick with 3D printing if he chooses to continue modifying his ARM cast. He has considered adding to his design by adding a section for the hand, as well as consulting a medical minded person to see what else he can do to enhance it.
2nd Place, Matthew Wong & Luis Carvalheiro
Category: Engineering: Post-Secondary Education
School Name: Ryerson University (Ontario, Canada)
Design Name: Fender Lock
A friend’s stolen bike seat and one 3D printing competition later, Matthew Wong and Luis Carvalhero created a full-proof way to make sure bike seats never leave the bike they’re attached to again. After learning of the Extreme Redesign Challenge from their teacher, they soon started thinking of problems they could solve and remembered the story of their friend’s stolen bike seat. So they created the Fender Lock. The Fender Lock attaches to the bike frame and the saddle, making the bike seat secure. However, Wong and Carvalhero wanted to make their design more than just a lock, so they included a retractable fender to prevent your back from getting dirty and a convenient bottle opener as well.
The duo would like to work on their design in the future, but for now they are focused on their post-graduation lives and seeking opportunities to continue to build their engineering skills.
1st Place, Grayson Galisky
Category: Engineering: Secondary Education
School Name: Los Alamitos High School (CA)
Design Name: Biomimetic Robotic Prosthetic Hand
Since he began 3D printing four years ago, 18 year old Grayson Galisky has been perfecting his craft by completing many different projects, and even building his own 3D printers. Using inspiration he gained from a research paper on robotic hands, Galisky created his own by focusing on biomechanics and modifying some design elements to achieve a higher level of dexterity. By modeling his design with major human hand components, he created more life-like features with regard to movement and speed. Galisky made innovations in the control department as well by using draw-wire sensors to collect data from his own hand movements to send to the robotic hand. 3D printing his hand resulted in a cost-effective option that can still enable customizability.
Galisky’s future plans include starting his own robotics business, but until then he will attend Cal State Long Beach to study mechanical engineering. He plans to continue to work on his robotic hand and share his designs on GrabCAD, so other engineers can draw inspiration from him and vice versa.
2nd Place, Connor Meehan
Category: Engineering: Secondary Education
School Name: Saline High School (MI)
Design Name: Bidirectional Ratchet
A problem solver at heart, Connor Meehan is an engineer who uses 3D printing to solve problems people in his life are facing. In particular, an arthritis problem his grandfather, who loves working on cars, is facing fueled the inspiration behind his bidirectional ratchet. Meehan wanted to invent a way for his grandpa to continue the automotive work he enjoyed without suffering from the stress on his joints. Thus, the bidirectional ratchet was created. His tool is unique because the design allows you to tighten or loosen regardless of which way it’s turned. Every time you spin the handle, it will either tighten or loosen the bolt depending on what side of the ratchet you are using. It doubles as a traditional ratchet as well. So not only does it alleviate joint pain, but it quickens the process.
As for the future of the bidirectional ratchet, Meehan plans to possibly encase it so no dust or fragments can get in, if he chooses to industrialize it. In the fall, Meehan will attend the University of Michigan to pursue an engineering degree.
1st Place, Daniel Fahy
Category: Art, Jewelry and Architecture
School Name: University of Oxford/St.Catherine’s College
Design Name: Intricate Flower Centerpiece
Daniel Fahy is fascinated by the unique, crazy designs you can make with 3D printing and as an engineer, he’s someone who likes to do it himself. Fahy was interested in the Extreme Redesign Challenge because of design freedom, and the limitless capabilities of 3D printing, which shows in his intricate flower piece. With his design, Fahy’s goal was to make a functional piece of art to show the endless possibilities 3D printing has to offer. His design uses zinnia and dahlia flowers for inspiration, which symbolize remembrance, represented by the candle function, and a lasting bond between two people, represented by the jewelry box.
Fahy is a big fan of GrabCAD and plans to stay close to that community to see what else will inpsire him. As for Fahy’s centerpiece, it currently sits in a resting state, but he plans to make modifications and improvements in the near future.
2nd Place, Sergey Kuznetsov
Category: Art, Jewlery and Architecture
School Name: J-Design Pro
Design Name: Khachkar – Armenian Cross Stone
Jewelry prototype 3D renering
Sergey Kuznetsov is a creator. As a sound engineer and video jockey for more than 20 years, Kuznetsov’s started looking for other avenues to exercise his creativity. In his search for something new, he found 3D printing and admired the way that people were able to express themselves through the models they make. After dedicating himself to learning it and enrolling in design school, he 3D printed a khachkar, an Armenian outdoor stele. Kuznetsov was inspired to make a khachkar because of its symbolism and beauty. With over 50,000 khachkars in Armenia, no two are alike, and 3D printing allowed Kuznetsov to combine his creativity with intricacy to put a unique spin on his khachkar.
Kuznetsov plans to continue learning 3D modeling and printing. He enjoys creating different models and has even gotten his wife to start learning how to 3D print. He wants to continue entering 3D printing challenges and hopes to continue to find success making his creations.
Category: NCATC School Winner
School Name: Danville Community College
Design Name: Universal Tablet Holder for Phantom Drone 3
Paragraph: Jacob Haynes does his best to 3D print every day. Since discovering 3D printing at his technical high school, he’s constantly using the 3D printer at Danville Community College to make new things. One of those things was a universal tablet holder for Phantom Drone 3. It improves upon traditional drone holders with a bigger surface for cameras, since most only have a platform that is big enough for a phone. This design was originally made for a class project, but Haynes’ teacher liked his design so much he suggested Haynes’ enter it into the Extreme Redesign Challenge.
Haynes graduates from college this year and recently got a drafting job at a shipyard. Although he doesn’t plan to make a career out of 3D printing, he wants to stick close to it and might even buy his own 3D printer to use at home.
