3D printing shines Rio Olympic laser printing industry or will go one step further

The Olympics is a major event in the four years, and billions of viewers around the world are paying attention to every move of the game. As the world's largest and most watched comprehensive sports event, the final result of the competition is not only the strength of the athletes, but also the help from the outside world. Therefore, a variety of high-tech sports equipment is also very common in the competition, the "shark skin" in previous years is our most familiar example. This year, 3D printing has become an emerging technology that has taken the limelight.

3D printing shines Rio, technology helps "higher, faster, farther"

Human beings constantly challenge their limits in the Olympics. With the help of technology, athletes are even more powerful. Due to its personalized and customized advantages, 3D printing has become the “big killer” used by major brand sponsors and athletes. So, what about the use of 3D printing in this year's Rio Olympics?

Ally American Felix, known as the "Sprinting Queen", has partnered with Nike to create a new pair of running shoes that specifically meet her needs with 3D printing technology.

At the design stage, Nike's design director decided to optimize the resilience of the soles so that the athletes could get faster speeds at every step. In order to make the shoes more suitable for the foot shape of AllysonFelix, the development team made a pair of 9.5 size, AA size shoe lasts (ie the shoe molding mold). To balance flexibility and beauty, Nike also specializes in selective laser sintering (SLS), one of the 3D printing technologies.

Nike also provided anti-air resistance sportswear for many athletes this year, helping sprinters reduce air resistance and even helping long-distance runners improve their performance. The design process relies mainly on wind tunnel testing and 3D printing prototyping.

The French Cycling Union, in cooperation with Erpro & Spirit and S2A, has customized 3D printed handlebars for French cyclists. The structure of these handles provides a very high rigidity while also greatly reducing the weight of the bicycle. On the track, these bikes have a top speed of about 80 km/h.

At this year's Rio Olympics, the application of 3D technology is unprecedented. This momentum has even reached the Paralympic Games (September 7-18), when German cyclist Denise Schindler will wear 3D printed prosthetic legs, and the BMW design team's 3D printing racing wheelchair will also shine.

“More refined, more stable, faster”

3D printing made a splash in the Rio Olympics and earned enough attention. However, this is just a "small test" in 3D printing in sports competitions. 3D printing is more widely used in medical, aerospace, automotive parts, molds, industrial design, cultural creativity, jewelry, defense and military industries. Such as 3D printing for dental patients to personalize the printing of exclusive teeth, custom production of artificial limbs for the disabled, simulation of surgical scenes for surgical patients, production of surgical guides, etc.; 3D printing can also make aircraft and automotive parts lighter, more robust, performance More excellent; 3D printing breaks through the traditional manufacturing process, making all kinds of designs and ideas become reality, helping the cultural and creative industries to create a more prosperous market.

(Editor)