Innovation in Progress is the theme of this year’s international purmundus challenge design competition. The aim is to celebrate the latest developments in the world of 3D and 4D printing; a world where attention is increasingly turning to the entire development and innovation process and not merely focusing on the technology.
The purmundus challenge finalists and winners will feature in a special showcase at Formnext 2021 from 16 – 19 November 2021.
The theme of this year’s challenge draws on the evolution of the development process of 3D and 4D printed products. According to the purmundus challenge, the industry is moving from a technocentric orientation toward a “new, systemic culture of innovation that is multi-layered and multi-dimensional.” That is why the focus of this year’s competition is primarily on interactions within the innovation process, and on the back-and-forth between individual functions and protagonists.
The aim is also for the participants to create a guiding idea for the additive manufacturing and production of tomorrow. In addition, they are expected to incorporate materials and procedures that have not yet broken through, are still being researched, or have yet to be invented.
Good design also plays an important role, and will be evaluated by the international judging panel together with the practical benefit, cost-effectiveness, and aesthetics of the products. The panel comprises the following renowned figures from the AM industry:
• Christoph Behling (Christoph Behling Design Ltd.)
• Prof. Richard Bibb (Loughborough University)
• Isabelle Fröhlich (Volkswagen AG)
• Tilla Goldberg (Ippolito Fleitz Group)
• James Helliwell (hyperTunnel Limited)
• Dr. Alexander Hildebrandt (Festo AG & Co. KG)
• Frank Kleemann (freelance industrial designer)
• Andreas Pany (Ernst Strassacker GmbH & Co. KG)
• Prof. Dali Sun (Beijing University of Technology)
• Graham Tromans (G P Tromans Associates)
• Dr. Clara Usma (Deakin University)
The purmundus challenge is open to professionals, institutions, and companies as well as up-and-coming talent. The custom design solutions are first shortlisted for presentation at the special showcase at Formnext 2021. On the third day, 18 November 2021, the panel will select and honor the winners in the different categories. As in previous years, an audience award, determined by Formnext 2021 visitors over the course of the event, will also be presented. There are a number of cash prizes worth a total of €6,000 plus other attractive prizes to be won in the design competition.
The deadline for submissions is 22 September 2021.
www.formnext.com
