The world’s first 3D printed football has rolled off an Object500 Connex 3 multi-material PolyJet printer into the conversations of Super Bowl fans, wondering aloud if this amazing technology could have stopped the “Deflate-Gate” scandal from happening.
The Stratasys printed football weighs the same as a warmup ball and has the feel of a real pigskin. Though it won’t be used on Game Day, the orange-colored ball has been tossed around on the football field. The Israeli-American company asked the Israeli Football League to test it.
“We just 3D printed a football to salute the Super Bowl. And we took it out for play in Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem,” Stratasys Marketing Manager Michael Swack tells ISRAEL21c.
http://youtu.be/hUBceawRioQ
Amazingly, Stratasys managed to print it as a single piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85027636&v=5YB8BjOn6B0&x-yt-ts=142250391634
The ball is the latest sports-related 3D gear to grab headlines. Nike is heavily promoting its 3D printed football cleats.
After all, Stratasys says “kite surfing, snowboarding, skiing, motors sports and fencing have all had their competitive edge sharpened with 3D printing.” So, it makes sense that American football should, too.
Maybe next year, the official Super Bowl pigskin will be a three-dimensional plastic printed ball from Israel.
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