Organisers of the annual purmundus challenge have announced that the theme of this year's 3D printing competition will be "geometry and material in harmony."
The international design contest for additive manufacturing is calling on submissions that focus on the relationship between materials and process, and tackle the challenge of "incorporating harmony as a state, and as a desire for the coherence and consummation of geometry and material."
In an announcement made last week, the organisers expressed the importance of the "painstaking work" being carried out to develop new printable materials which are opening up more applications for additive technologies.
The announcement said: "Whether it's the adaptation of natural blueprints for technical applications or functional integration, rough structures for pressure transfer, free-moving joints and bearings for moving applications or fixed legs for the necessary stability, elastic, temperature-resistant, fibre-reinforced, fire-resistant, anti-static or conductive components - there are a wide range of material properties available as well as methods for building up the layers. Additive manufacturing always involves a sophisticated interplay of materials, process and design."
The organisers are particularly encouraging entries featuring methods and materials which have not yet been established or are currently being researched. The judges will also be looking closely at the usefulness, economy and aesthetics of submissions. A full list of criteria can be found here.
Entries are open from now until 21st September 2020 and will be assessed by a panel of 11 judges from across additive manufacturing, industry and academia. Finalists work will be presented in an exhibition at Formnext on 10-13th November in Frankfurt where the winners and a special "people's choice" prize will be presented in an awards ceremony on 12th November.
Last year's competition shortlisted 38 finalists under the theme of 'beyond 3D printing' which included projects across medicine, 4D printing, bionics, and more. First prize went to UrbanAlps for Stealth Key, a project founded in 2014 to deliver the world’s first metal 3D printed key protected against unauthorised duplication.
