Leading sports equipment innovator, Wilson Sporting Goods Co., has made headlines with the introduction of an experimental prototype poised to redefine basketball technology: the first-ever 3D printed airless basketball. This groundbreaking ball is the result of a collaborative effort with Chicago-based 3D design experts General Lattice, 3D printer manufacturer EOS, and post-processing specialists DyeMansion, marking a significant leap in sports equipment manufacturing.
This innovative prototype aims to demonstrate not only the feasibility of creating a basketball that eliminates the need for inflation but also to highlight the vast potential of additive manufacturing within the broader sporting goods industry. David Krzeminski, Senior Consultant at EOS’s Additive Minds, emphasized the project as “such a great technology showcase” for the creative applications of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in both prototyping and production. Wilson echoes this sentiment, underscoring “the possibilities this ball represents,” hinting at future applications like airless tires, a concept already being explored by Michelin with their airless Uptis tire prototype.
Finished 3D printed Wilson Airless Basketball prototype showcasing its unique lattice structure and airless design. Photo courtesy of Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
Collaboration Drives Innovation in 3D Printed Sports Tech
The journey from concept to creation was facilitated by GL Labs, General Lattice’s enterprise solutions division, which partnered closely with Wilson. Leveraging their advanced computational design tools and workflows, GL Labs streamlined the design and iteration phases, ensuring a viable manufacturing process. General Lattice CEO, Nick Florek, highlighted the agility of GL Labs, enabling clients to “integrate data throughout the design process to reach optimal solutions faster.”
This collaboration with Wilson appears to align with General Lattice’s strategic growth. In 2021, the company announced plans to expand its U.S. operations, backed by $1 million in pre-seed funding. These funds were earmarked for bolstering lattice-based commercial and federal R&D initiatives, as well as expanding their U.S. client portfolio, making the Wilson project a significant step in their national commercial expansion.
The 3D printing phase of the basketball was executed using the EOS P 396 SLS 3D printer. DyeMansion then applied their expertise in post-processing, utilizing DeepDye Coloring and VaporFuse Surfacing technologies to achieve the basketball’s distinctive outer skin and smooth finish. The ball’s structure is characterized by a transparent black lattice with eight panel-like lobes, engineered to deliver optimal bounce without the need for air inflation. Lester Hitch, Application Consultant at DyeMansion North America, underscored the project’s magnitude, recognizing that re-engineering the basketball, a core element of the sport, was “no small venture.”
3D Printing: Expanding Horizons in the Sports Industry
Wilson’s airless basketball is a testament to the growing integration of additive manufacturing within the sports sector. Sporting giants like Adidas have been at the forefront, continuously collaborating with 3D printing firms. Adidas’s long-standing partnership with Carbon has produced innovations like the 3D printed 4DFWD midsole for running shoes. Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) 3D printing technology enabled the creation of this optimized midsole, which, in performance tests, demonstrated up to three times greater forward motion compared to previous designs. Further solidifying this trend, Adidas teamed up with Marcolin Group in 2021 to launch the 3D CMPT sports sunglasses. These lightweight 3D printed glasses, weighing just 20g, retailed for $415 during their limited initial release.
German design firm DQBD also joined the 3D printing revolution in sports, collaborating with Stratasys. Utilizing Stratasys’s H350 3D printer, DQBD developed personalized cycling saddles. By 3D printing the load-bearing components of the saddle at scale, DQBD reported a significant reduction in lead times from six months to just 10 days, resulting in cost savings of around £22,000. DQBD CEO, Sebastian Hess, emphasized the pivotal role of additive manufacturing in their business model, stating, “we designed the saddle with additive manufacturing in mind,” praising its capacity for product personalization “in a way that cannot be replicated with traditional methods.”
The Wilson 3D printed airless basketball represents a significant stride in sports technology, showcasing the transformative power of 3D printing. As additive manufacturing continues to evolve, its application in creating high-performance, customized sports equipment is set to expand, promising a future where innovation on demand reshapes the sporting landscape.
