Blueprint Surf on Creating 3D Printed, Eco-Friendly Surfboards

Blue waves, beaches, freedom – many things come to mind when thinking about surfing, but one thing that does not is the environmental impact of the sport. However, despite expectations to the contrary, surfboards are far from being eco-friendly, with one typically-made model emitting at least 600lbs of CO2 throughout its lifespan and needing to be replaced regularly (two to three times a year). Thus putting a damper on the sport which both relies on the ocean and could be contributing to its destruction. Luckily, companies are coming up with ways to create better, greener surfboards, including through additive manufacturing. Take Blueprint Surf for example. The Portland, Maine-based startup has uses 3D printing to create incredible that they describe as “as beautiful as the Acadia coast, as durable as a Downeast lobster boat, and fun enough be the board you choose when your favorite break is pumping,” while still being eco-friendly thanks to the use of 3D printing and recycled materials. We spoke with one of the co-founders to learn more!

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and Blueprint Surf?

My name is Luke Diehl, and I’ve been 3D printing for about a decade.  My interest in 3D printing started when I learned that laser sintering could be used to make titanium orthopedic implants.  I co-founded one of the first companies to make 3D printed implants for spine surgery, and have been using 3D printers frequently since then.

(Left) Luke Diehl with a finished 3D printed surfboard from Blueprint Surf; (right) the 3D printed core

Meanwhile, Blueprint Surf was started a couple of years ago when Mike Ballin and I were going out on the North Atlantic on foam boards. We realized that although we loved them, they were terrible for the environment and had a number of other flaws. Blueprint Surf’s mission is to build beautiful, high performance surfboards that are less environmentally harmful than traditional foam surfboards.

3DN: How do you make your 3D printed surfboards? What processes/materials do you use?

We start by custom designing a “frame” structure for each surfer.  More powerful surfers get a stiffer frame, lighter surfers get a more flexible design. Then we print the frame out of recycled PETG filament using a Modix Big 180X printer.  After we clean up the printed frame, we use a secret blend of materials and techniques to wrap a smooth composite skin around it.

3D printing takes place on Blueprint Surf’s beloved Modix 3D printer

From there it’s the same as any other surfboard – we add another layer of woven fiberglass and bio-epoxy, then a glossy final coat of bio-epoxy for a clean finish. We are in the process of switching all our production from recycled PETG to a fiberglass reinforced Polypropylene filament, that comes from retired fishing nets.  It’s a stronger, lighter, more durable material and we think the recycled fishing nets give our boards a stronger connection to the ocean.

3DN: Why does Blueprint Surf use 3D printing for surfboards?

3D printing creates much less waste than carving away at a chunk of foam.  And most of our waste – like scrap fiberglass and broken print supports – we can repurpose and use again.  The other big difference is that most surfboard foam comes from Southeast Asia, and it’s very inefficient to ship since it’s so bulky.  Eventually we want to have a 3D printer in each surf area so every Blueprint customer can get their board made locally.

A close up of the 3D printed frame

We have a ton of admiration and respect for the craftspeople who shape surfboards by hand. There is a lot of technique and craftsmanship involved in making our boards too, but I think surfers hear “3D printed plastic” and some of them assume our boards are being churned out by an army of robots. We’re working hard to show the surf community that we can honor the legacy of “hand shapers” but also shift to better materials and modern technology.

3DN: Any last words for our readers?

Sure! We appreciate all the support and information we’ve been able to find on sites like 3Dnatives, in user forums, and from other 3D printing enthusiasts.  The community around 3D printing is what makes ambitious projects like ours possible, so thank you! You can find out more about us on our website HERE.

A 3D printed board after finishing printing and moving to post-processing

What do you think of Blueprint Surf? Would you want a 3D printed surfboard? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly newsletter here for the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.

*All Photo Credits: Blueprint Surf?