YouMagine has opened an unusual 3D printing challenge, with the prize being an Ultimaker Original.
While there are many 3D printing challenges occurring pretty much all the time, this one seems a bit different. The contest is to “Develop a New 3D Printing Technology”. It’s not a design contest, where, for example, the best earbud holder will be selected. No, this is instead about using a 3D printing platform to do something different. Radically different – yet achievable.
You don’t actually have to develop the technology; YouMagine is to select the best idea that “seems achievable” on February 1st. The winner will receive an Ultimaker Original on which they will presumably attempt to execute their idea.
Why an Ultimaker Original and not the most recent Ultimaker 2 model? We suspect reason is the Ultimaker Original is more capable of modification – and your idea might require modification of the 3D printer. The “invention” will then be shared to the world through YouMagine’s content repository.
Here are some of the key points in their rules that should provide the flavor for what they’re looking for:
- Not an incremental improvement to an existing 3D printer or new part
- You may want to 3D print glass, electronics, etc
- A similar 3D printing process could exist but you could want to perfect or change it
The winner will obviously generate a very interesting idea, but other contestants will also do the same. We’re expecting to see a burst of creative ideas that may lead to big things in the future.
Via YouMagine
