One of the great victories for comic book and superhero enthusiasts over the past year has been the increased availability of 3D printers. Why? Because 3D printing gives hobbyists the tools to bring fantasy to life, in a proactive, DIY way.
And it makes sense, after all, because as noted by boingboing.net, Superman may very well have been the real inventor of 3D printing technology.
Superman may not have been alone, either. But Batman was perhaps more dedicated to solving crimes around that time, as he created a 3D printer for the purpose of modelling criminals for law enforcement.
“Here it goes again the eternal question: who is smarter, Batman or Iron Man? No matter the answer, both could perfectly have created 3D printing technology and actually they could have done a great team together. Batman is more of a detective, and Iron Man is more tech – sounds like the perfect match, don’t you think? Check also this comic from 1964 where Batman and Superman were already thinking about 3D printing creation!” WHO INVENTED 3D PRINTING? SUPERMAN & OTHER SUPERHEROES DID! | Article - Thu 04 Dec 2014 06:39:03 PM UTC - Microfabricator.com
So it looks like Superheroes have invented this technology, but how have hobbyists taken advantage of it, themselves?
Working with Tundra Designs and Gauntlet FX, Dee’s suit - based on the ‘Dark Knight’ skin from the video game Batman: Arkham Origins - was entirely built through 3D printing (well, outside the cape and the undersuit, naturally), based on plans from Gauntlet, before Tundra printed the them and finished the pieces off. It’s amazing to think that it came from a 3D printer - it looks incredible! This Fantastic Batman Armour Is Entirely 3D-Printed
Of course, who doesn’t want to wield Mjolnir? I know I do, and you can. here is a CAD replica of Thor’s Hammer, which has been 3D printed by others:
A detailed model of the Thor Hammer as per the movie “Thor: The God of Thunder”………… it took quite a while to get the details right, as there are not many references for the hammer to compare with……….. hope you all like this model as much as you liked my other models…. Thor Hammer - STL, STEP / IGES, SOLIDWORKS - 3D CAD model - GrabCAD
Some people have went beyond 3D printing superhero designs for play, however. Becoming superheroes themselves, people have actually done societal good by merging 3D printed prosthetics with fun superhero inspired designs, encouraging children to cherish their prosthetics.
Pat Starace, an animator and mechanical designer, has developed an Iron Man-inspired prosthetic hand with voice control and laser beam-like capabilities.
The hand comes with Bluetooth connectivity, a battery, USB charger and Arduino technology, a computing tool that senses the physical world. By tilting one’s hand back, the user activate “thrusters,” which are actually LED light displays. 3D-Printed Prosthetic Hand Could Make Kids Feel Like Iron Man
What is your favorite Superhero inspired 3D printing project? Let us know in the comments below!
