Winner purmundus challenge 2020

Press release 23.11.2020


The purmundus challenge 3D and 4D printing design award was presented for the eighth time on 11 November 2020 as part of the digital Formnext Connect exhibition. The competition was broadcast live, and provided some surprises in the form of a new award category and new partners. A total of seven submissions received the coveted gold trophies.



The 2020 purmundus challenge showcases the ability of additive manufacturing to withstand a crisis. “In a challenging year like 2020, the relevance of 3D and 4D printing has been highlighted again. The AM community is pulling together, and managing to add value for society in addition to breaking new ground in the field of design,” said Dennis Lang, Head of Communications & PR for the purmundus challenge. The broad range of industries represented by the award winners is particularly striking. They all interpreted this year's theme of “Geometry and Material in Harmony” in their own ways. “Additive manufacturing applications that follow an ideal, particularly environmental benefits, make a particularly positive impression,” added James Helliwell of hyperTunnel Limited, a member of the purmundus challenge panel. Companies, institutions, universities, design studios and start-ups now use 3D and 4D printing for much more than the previously known fields of application, and are also looking closely at post-processing.

From 10 November to 31 December 2020, the 35 finalists are presenting their outstanding designs at the virtual Formnext Connect exhibition. The digital platform provides exciting insights into the field of 3D and 4D print-ing, as well as the first ever opportunity to contact the designers directly using the matchmaking function.

This year’s winners:

1st prize: Moorhuhn bicycle frame HUHN cycles | Ralf Holleis

2nd prize: exomotion® hand one HKK Bionics GmbH | Dominik Hepp

3rd prize: ZERO – 3D printed sneakers Svet Abjo I Zellerfeld Shoe Company Inc.

Special Mention: Tactile Compass for colours Taktilesdesign GmbH | Sylvia Goldbach I Eric Bahr

Innovation Prize: ANAMOS heart model ANAMOS UG (haftungsbeschränkt) | FAPS - Lehrstuhl für Fertigungsautomatisierung und Produktionssystematik, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg I Wacker Chemie AG I Hannah Riedle I Anna Seufert

Simulation Driven Design: Bolt it ETH Zürich | Inspire AG I Gressel | Julian Ferchow I Marcel Schlüssel

After a detailed assessment of all projects, Altair has selected the two year project “Bolt It - Automated Post-Processing for Metal Additive Manufacturing”, as the winner of the Altair Simulation Driven Design Award. “Bolt it” solves a problem that almost all metal powder bed structures have in common. „This project gives a further boost to the industrial application of additive manufacturing“, said Christoph Donker, Marketing Manager Altair DACH.

Newcomer Prize: Adaptive splint School of Design Innovation, Victoria University of Wellington | Yejun Fu

The Newcomer Prize was awarded for the first time in cooperation with Addmio. This category distinguishes students, start-ups and newcomers. The winner will design the Newcomer Prize 2021 trophy with Addmio’s sup-port.

Public Choice Award: (to be announced) This year's Public Choice Award is being decided using the PollUnit online voting tool. Voting closes on 22 November 2020. One voter will be chosen at random to receive a 3D-printed purmundus lamp from panel member Frank Kleemann. The winner will be announced at the end of November via the purmundus challenge channels.

Further information at purmundus-challenge.com  (www.purmundus-challenge.com)