3D Printing to the Rescue
The final design printed on a 3d printer using a flexible filament called TPU. This material can stretch up to 600 times before it will deform. It is both flexible and strong.
Design and Prototyping
The project focused on comfort and usage. Getting the size right for both small and large hands meant that we tested a number of different diameters until we found one that worked. The next challenge was creating a print file that was going print a durable and strong grip but still be soft enough to be comfortable
Printing
It was clear early on that we would be 3d printing grips instead of the traditional molding and casting. This is a great example of where 3d printing shines; we experimented with infill, the amount of plastic used for the support structure inside the print until we found the right balance. Traditional manufacturing would not allow us to control the density of the inside of the grip.
