When amateur designers from table football have fun with a 3D printer, you have to expect the best!
The design project in question was initiated by English designers and engineers grouped under the name Black Country Atelier. The idea is simple: 3D print table football players in the likeness of the players. A scan, a few clicks, and a little patience are all it takes to sculpt authentic players ready to be installed on the bars of your kicker. Did you say brilliant?
While we're still a long way from the first 3D printed table football, this study group could nevertheless considerably shake up the world of mini football.
When 3D printing opens up new possibilities
It's thanks to a certain Mitesh Parel, industrial designer and head of the BCA's creative department, that this bold project came to fruition. A connoisseur of 3D printing, this designer didn't hesitate to ask his students to scan an entire football team and print it in three dimensions. And then it was the BCA team's turn to be "photocopied" and then modeled...
Students versus teachers, yellows versus blues!
Bubble heads that know how to touch a ball!
Connoisseurs will immediately notice the oversized heads of these table football 2.0 players. Nothing unintentional about that! To make them more easily recognizable, the players' head circumference was simply increased. This made it easier for each guinea pig to place themselves within their team. Clever! For the rest of their bodies, the players adhere to standard dimensions. In fact, the lower body was taken from a scan of classic players. The geniuses at the BCA had to dismantle a table football table to do this... sniff.
2.0 foosball players designed by scientists
The Black Country Atelier is a large collective of designers and artists, as well as computer scientists, engineers, and mathematical virtuosos. It's easy to imagine all the crazy projects that can emerge from such a synergy of talent! If you'd like to join their ranks or simply satisfy your curiosity, the BCA regularly organizes workshops, gives classes at design schools, and offers all kinds of training and educational kits.
And for the future?
When will we have a 100% 3D printed foosball table? Let's imagine for a moment a personalized foosball table delivered as a kit to your home. The pieces would be detachable and fit together like a gigantic LEGO set. Everyone could then create a custom foosball table in the colors of their favorite team, and perhaps even customized with the faces of their family or friends.
Revolution or a crime of lèse-majesté? For now, let's just settle for these superb 3D printed table football players!
