The Coolest Applications at RAPID + TCT 2024

RAPID + TCT 2024 will soon come to an end! And one thing that was clearly on display throughout the biggest North American additive manufacturing event was the sheer number of applications that are possible with 3D printing. Whether for entertainment, medical or aerospace, automotive or defense, there were some incredible 3D printed parts on display from exhibitors. We took a closer look at some of our favorites in the list below.

A 3D Printed Drum Set From Stratasys

Drum roll please! If you grew up any time after 2004, you have probably heard of Panic! At the Disco. What you may not be aware of is that the drummer for the band, Dan Pawlovich, is quite a 3D printing aficionado. So much so, that he commissioned a 3D printed drum set from Stratasys Direct Manufacturing and it has even gone on tour. Two different drum sets made for the drummer were displayed at Stratasys’ booth this year, one done with polymer powder bed fusion and the other with FDM. The FDM-printed snare was played as is without any post-processing by Pawlovich. It was an incredible look at how additive manufacturing can be used in the music industry.

Dan Pawlovich playing the drums made using FDM 3D printing

Willo 3D Printed Trees

As the call for sustainability has become louder and louder in recent years, we have seen some incredible applications using 3D printing. One such project was on display at RAPID + TCT at Bambu Lab’s booth. Willo has won awards for its beautiful 3D printed trees made from recycled bottles and produced in the US. These incredible pieces of art are perfect for home decor and come in three sizes: 7.5 ft, 12 ft and 14ft, as well as three unique designs. The trees are designed not just to enhance any space, but dampen sound, with the company hoping that they could create a more pleasant environment in busy public spaces.

The Willo 3D printed tree at Bambu Lab’s booth at RAPID + TCT

Bell Flight Helicopter Blade

Without a doubt, aerospace continues to be one of the most exciting sectors for the use of additive manufacturing. Something with which Thermwood, known for its large-scale additive manufacturing, certainly agrees. At the company’s booth at RAPID + TCT, there were a number of exciting, gigantic applications, including an 18-foot helicopter blade mold that was printed on a Thermwood LSAM system in only three hours and eight minutes. The blade was made with TechnerPM 25% Carbon Fiber reinforced PESU and shows the incredible potential for 3D printing in the creation of helicopters.

The 3D printed blade at Thermwood’s booth

Mike and Sulley at the Hollywood Showcase

One of the most exciting features at RAPID + TCT 2024 has undoubtedly been the Hollywood Showcase, where attendees have been able to see how Hollywood is integrating 3D technologies in movie magic. Although there were endless interesting things to see at the location, our favorites were Mike and Sulley from Monster’s University! Attendees were able to see the two standing at the front of the showcase. They were made by Disney for a marketing display out of Large Format SLA using Accura Extreme and synthetic fur as well as Maxon Zbrush and Materialise Magics. Other figures of note included a reconstruction of the Delorean from Back to the Future, Darth Vader, Anna and Elsa from Frozen, among many others.

Mike and Sulley greet attendees at the Hollywood Showcase at RAPID + TCT, with other incredible applications in the background

A Life-Size 3D Printed Skeleton

Last but certainly not least, medical applications were on display throughout the show floor at RAPID + TCT 2024 including a rather remarkable one from 3D Systems. In a fitting show of the company’s aptitude for FDA-cleared, diagnostic-quality anatomical models, the company displayed a fully 3D printed, full-sized skeleton in its booth. Nicknamed Manny, it was made with a few different 3D printing technologies, showing 3D Systems’ range, including the company’s VSP Orthopedics complete surgical planning workflow, Multijet Printing, Colorjet Printing, FDM, SLA and SLS.

Manny welcomes attendees to 3D Systems’ booth surrounded by other medical applications

Which were your favorite applications at RAPID + TCT 2024? 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.