Top 5 Videos: Recreating Wilson’s $2,500 3D Printed Airless Basketball

Welcome to our compilation of this week’s most compelling 3D printing videos. We kick off this week’s edition with a video attempting to perfectly replicate the bounce of Wilson‘s $2,500 3D printed airless basketball. Next up, Big Rep reveals how additive manufacturing is revolutionizing and improving heavy-duty truck innovation at CNHTC in China. Moving forward, TechTalkCentral discusses the future of 3D printing and its impact on manufacturing and rapid prototyping, emphasizing the technology’s sustainability and high customizability. We’re then presented with a video by Performance Bicycle, showcasing 3D printed mirror saddles which offer improved comfort and support for long rides and off-road terrain. Lastly, we conclude this week’s top 5 with a video from Lincoln Electric Asia, exploring the adoption and benefits of wire arc 3D metal printing within the company. Let’s get started!

Top 1: Recreating Wilson’s $2,500 3D Printed Airless Basketball

First, we present a video by TwoMooseDesign, where the the host sets out to recreate the bounce of Wilson’s $2500, 3D printed airless basketball using a variety of hobbyist 3D printers. Despite encountering difficulties such as filament breakage and print failures, the host finds that flexible PLA and certain TPU filaments offer the best bounce characteristics. Overall, while acknowledging the limitations of hobbyist 3D printers compared to commercial ones used for the original airless basketball, they conclude that getting close to the desired bounce with the right filament choice and printing techniques is possible. However, the host also acknowledges that perfecting the ball would be incredibly difficult, as Wilson’s airless basketball costs $2,500 because the company is aware its bounce cannot be truly replicated.

Top 2: CNHTC’s Adoption of 3D Printing

Next, Big Rep reveals how industrial 3D printing, led by Head Engineer Dr. Dong, is revolutionizing heavy-duty truck innovation at CNHTC, China’s third-largest commercial vehicle manufacturer. China’s commercial vehicle market, a major player in global sales, is expected to see rising domestic demand. To meet this challenge and innovate faster, CNHTC has leveraged 3D printing to streamline prototyping, reduce production time, and enhance its final parts.