The Cool Parts Showcase is a contest from the award-winning video series The Cool Parts Show. Entries are accepted in three categories—Best Production Part, Best Proof-of-Concept and Best Bespoke Solution. Show co-hosts select finalists for reach category, and winners are chosen by popular vote. Winning parts are featured in full episodes of The Cool Parts Show.
Below, find the finalists and winning parts from past Showcase competitions.
Machine tool builder DMG MORI produced the AKZ FDS adapter through laser powder bed fusion to aid its CNC machine tools. The adapter fits on a machine tool spindle to transfer cooling lubricant and oil-air mixture to the cutting tool. Compared with a previous design made conventionally, this 3D printed design replaces 71 parts with just five. The adapter also improves fluid flow and weighs just half of that original version. Click the photo to see the part on The Cool Parts Show.
Ford Motor Company developed this dual-rate chassis coil spring sleeve as an aftermarket part. Previously, this part had been made through extrusion forming. 3D printing from TPU via Multi Jet Fusion has optimized the part's weight and material used, plus simplified assembly by eliminating adhesive between the sleeve and the spring that had been required in the previous design. The chassis coil spring sleeve demonstrates new design possibilities and brings a “wow factor” that educates the customer about AM, the company says.
Submitted by NuVasive, the Modulus ALIF is a 3D-printed porous titanium implant for the anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) spine procedure. The implant is designed for enhanced osseointegration and biomechanical properties, and allows for enhanced visualization compared to solid titanium implants. It also includes a zero-step locking mechanism, providing definitive tactile and visual confirmation of screw placement. Produced through laser powder bed fusion, the titanium implants do not require any post-print machining, only support removal, HIPing, deburring and media blasting. The implant is recently launched into full production.
Developed by Quorum Prosthetics, the Quatro socket is a prosthetic socket with three independently adjustable zones, allowing the wearer to quickly modify compression and overall size for a better fit. The socket can be donned or doffed quickly and enables the user to make adjustments on the fly. Thanks to 3D printing, each device can also be customized to the each wearer based on a scan. The sockets are printed using Multi Jet Fusion and made from PA12 and TPU, which makes them lighter and less bulky than conventional carbon fiber sockets made by hand.
Designed for rescue dog Wobbly Hannah, this custom wheelchair was a joint effort from materials company Braskem and 3D design firm Dive Design. Hannah is affected by a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia that makes it difficult to coordinate muscle movements and balance. The partners were able to rapidly design a wheelchair for her unique body and motion, iterate on the design, and print a final part using FDM in less than 60 days. 80% of the wheelchair is made from carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene filament, a lightweight material appropriate to the application. Click the photo to see the part on The Cool Parts Show.
Fabrisonic used ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) to create components for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that have their unique identification hidden in the part. The barcode is formed by alternating layers of aluminum and copper and serves as the part’s identification. The hybrid solid-state 3D printing process also enabled the manufacturer to include embedded sensors inside the part. The through-thickness barcode is both undetectable and impossible to counterfeit.
Submitted by 3D Printing Colorado, this cool part is a reverse-engineered nacelle (see the yellow portion) for a gas-powered remote control plane that will be flown in national meetups, with a top speed of 180 mph. Due to the tapered, conical nature of the part, 3D printing was the best manufacturing choice to match the contour and reduce dynamic drag. Based on a scan of the original part, this nacelle was 3D printed on a Lulzbot Taz 6 from ABS for its light weight and durability. While this was a custom part, the company sees other opportunities in RC aircraft, which frequently require replacement parts after rough landings.
Savage Automation along with Additive America created this end-of-arm tool (EOAT) for a robot that places metal inserts into an injection molding machine to be overmolded with plastic. Three separate compressed air circuits plus tracks for wiring are all 3D printed inside to make a complex automation system. About 60 hours of engineering time went into this device that couldn’t be made any other way. The EOAT was produced via Multi Jet Fusion and is currently in use.
Advanced Engineering Solutions produced this heat exchanger to cool the gearbox oil of a helicopter. The gyroid lattice form made through direct metal laser sintering could never be produced through machining. This geometry improves the efficiency of the heat exchanger by a factor of four while cutting the size of the unit in half. The design required no internal or external supports in printing. The heat exchanger is currently being tested for structural and thermal performance. Click the photo to see the part on The Cool Parts Show.
Submitted by Cadens, this entry consists of several 3D printed parts made with Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) that are currently installed at a functional micro-hydropower test bed that is approximately 1/10th scale. The custom adapter, end cap flange, pipe support stands and draft tube 3D printed from CF-ABS improve efficiency and reduce the flow separation. 3D printing allowed for the production of these test bed components at lower cost and with significant weight savings. The company has now demonstrated the feasibility and affordability of large-area AM for small hydropower applications, and is moving toward productionizing this solution.
ADAM Bioprinting created this humerus bone head through binder jetting using a ZPrint 310 ceramic printer. The head is made of a hydroxyapatite-based medical powder, a form of the same mineral found in bone, and it was designed to match the precise contours of a real patient’s anatomy. This prototype was produced to prove out the technology and workflow; the same strategy could one day be used for bone replacement in orthopedic surgery.
This scoliosis brace is being developed by Fited and manufactured by Extol for mass customization. While 3D printing is commonly used to combine parts, here the brace was split into more pieces to save time and allow more braces to be packed into each Multi Jet Fusion build. Ultrasonic welding combines the lightweight polypropylene pieces in a semi-automated assembly process. The braces will be manufactured for each patient using a digital algorithmic design process beginning with a scan. The devices are currently being tested for usability and functionality with clinicians and patients.
