NEW YEAR,

NEW ME

Design Competition by
Makelab x Hardware FYI

A Design Challenge for Engineers and Designers Across the U.S.

As we welcome the new year, we invite you to reimagine and enhance everyday living.

The “New Year, New Me Design Competition” calls on engineers and designers to craft something extraordinary for the home—an object that combines functionality with elegance to improve daily life.

Your mission

Design a 3D-printable solution for a practical household need. Whether it’s an organizer, a kitchen tool, or a storage piece, your creation should feel at home in a modern living space.

Focus on blending smart functionality with thoughtful design.

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DESIGN CONSTRAINTS

Here’s all you need to know to get started – follow these guidelines to ensure your design meets the competition requirements.

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SIZE RESTRICTIONS

Your design must fit within a 14 x 14 x 14-inch build volume and should not require splitting into multiple parts.

DESIGN SPECIFICS

All submissions must be designed for additive manufacturing using PLA material and optimized for 3D printing.

DFAM Guidelines

1. Material Specification: Use only 1.75mm PLA filament for your designs.

2. Printer Capacity: Ensure your design fits within the maximum build volume of the XL Prusa, which is 355 x 355 x 355mm.

3. Joinery Techniques: Design mating parts that fit together well. Remember to include proper joinery methods in your submission.

4. Tolerances: Account for manufacturing tolerances to ensure parts fit together as intended.

5. Orientation: Consider the orientation of the part during printing to minimize the need for supports and maximize structural integrity.

6. Supports: Strategically plan where to place supports to prevent overhangs and ensure easy removal without damaging the part. Avoid areas where support scarring could compromise the design.

7. Dimensional Accuracy: Keep in mind the limitations of FDM printing for maintaining dimensional accuracy.

8. Material Behavior: Design with material expansion and shrinkage in mind to ensure the final dimensions are accurate.

9. Build Plate Preparation: Leave a border around the build plate to avoid the model sticking too close to the edge, ensuring stability during printing.

10. Surface Area Considerations: Maximize the surface area in contact with the build plate to enhance stability during the printing process.

11. Multi-color Designs: For multi-color prints, design each color area as a separate body to ensure precise color alignment.

12. Exporting Designs: When exporting your files, maintain the position to ensure the alignment of multi-part or multi-color components remains consistent.

Deliverables

1. 3D Model Formats: Submit your 3D models in STL, STEP, or OBJ formats. Ensure compatibility and precision in your submissions.

2. File Organization: Provide one file that includes the full assembly of your design. Additionally, export all individual bodies as separate files without altering their positions to maintain alignment.

3. Context Renders: Include up to five JPEG images showing your design from various angles to give context and enhance understanding of your submission.

4. G-code Submission: Provide the G-code of your model slice to specify the orientation of printing, infill rate, and types and locations of supports. This helps in understanding your choices for print preparation.

5. Title and Description: Clearly title your submission and provide a detailed description of the stool design, emphasizing unique features and design rationale.

SUPPORT MINIMIZATION

The design should require minimal supports to ensure efficient and clean printing.

ASSEMBLY REQUIREMENTS

If your design absolutely must be split into parts for functionality or assembly, ensure all pieces fit seamlessly and maintain overall simplicity.

INFILL SPECIFICATION

The design should not exceed 30% infill to balance structural integrity and material efficiency.

Meet the JurY

Meet the three experts who will evaluate and critique your work.

MANNY MOTA

Manny Mota is the Cofounder & COO of Makelab, a top on-demand 3D printing service, scaling it by 900% to serve designers and engineers nationwide.

BENJI CHIA

Benjamin Chia is the Cofounder of Hardware FYI, a resource hub for the hardware community, drawing on experience in robotics, consumer products, and education.

VI DALWADI

Vi Dalwadi is the Client & Operations Manager at Makelab. She combines expertise in industrial design and operations to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions.

THE TIMELINE

Explore critical dates and milestones for the New Year, New Me Design Challenge.

AWARDS

Winners of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will receive exciting prizes and gain special recognition on Makelab and Hardware FYI platforms. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your work and boost your visibility in the community!
1
FIRST PLACE
$500 Makelab Print Credit
Promotion on Socials
Printed out submission
Promotion to Hardware FYI’s Community
2
SECOND PLACE
$250 Makelab Print Credit
Promotion on Socials
Printed out submission
Promotion to Hardware FYI’s Community
3
THIRD PLACE
$150 Makelab Print Credit
Promotion on Socials
Printed out submission
Promotion to Hardware FYI’s Community

ARE YOU UP FOR THE ChALLENGE?

This is your chance to innovate with purpose. Push the limits of 3D printing and bring your ideas to life within the framework of this competition.

Showcase your creativity by designing something that’s not only functional and beautiful but also embodies the spirit of “New Year, New Me.”

NEWSLETTER

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