Description

The 3D printed, airless basketball idea originated at Wilson Sporting Goods and came to fruition with design by General Lattice, printing by EOS and finishing by DyeMansion. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in the field of sporting goods development using 3D printing and offers athletes a completely new gaming experience. Printed from a polymer powder using selective laser sintering, the airless prototype offers numerous advantages, including a sealed surface, sweat-resistant construction and reproducible homogeneous colouring. While this is just a prototype, it represents the possibility for future applications in other sports and the potential for increasing sustainability through additive manufacturing. The use of this 3D printed basketball has already been tested in the NBA Dunk Contest, receiving an excellent reception and generating enthusiasm among players and basketball enthusiasts.