Experiments with 3D printing at sporting goods manufacturer Wilson have resulted in the prototype of a new type of basketball. The goal is to see how far a monomaterial can be used for balls without internal air pressure and what benefits can be obtained. A basketball is typically made up of an airtight shell that is inflated. Things are different in this instance. The b Basketball the future does not have to be tight and does not require an air pump. The surface of the novel ball is openwork. Because it is essentially made up of holes, pointed objects cannot damage it. It is practically unbreakable.
The Airless Protoype was manufactured using 3D printing and the selective laser sintering (SLS) technique. A laser is used to weld a plastic powder layer by layer in this procedure. Electro Optical Systems (EOS), a German company that manufactures SLS printers that process metal and plastic, performed the 3D printing. However, the company from Krailling near Munich also manufactures parts for companies in the medical technology, aerospace, and automotive sectors.
The Airless is made up of bars with hexagonal openings in between them. This structure provides the ball with the required elasticity. Wilson claims that the prototype’s weight is comparable to that of a standard basketball used in the NBA. When dribbling and throwing, the Airless is intended to behave like an air-filled ball. According to Wilson, the new ball is being extensively tested at the company’s own test centre in Ada, Ohio. It is unknown whether the Airless will be mass-produced and used in the NBA or if it is only a feasibility study.
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