Interview: Joe DeSimone on Carbon L1 3D printer technical specifications and pricing - 3D Printing Industry Link above to info on a 3D printed (American) football helmet This type of tech is being trialled to make bicycle helmets as well and seems to be coming out very well. This kind of improvement in additive manufacturing is exciting for martial artists as well. Imagine a fully enclosed helmet which you can breathe through, doesn't fog, will protect your face, and actually provides impact protection. That would far surpass the old boxing headgear and make harder training sessions less damaging.
Looks like you would have to replace it after each impact? But if the cost of printer and ingredients could be low enough that has real potential
I only skimmed the article, because my concentration isn't as it's best at the moment. So just a quick question: In case it has to be replaced after each impact, doesn't that make it rather useless for Football or MAs? At least until that problem would be solved. I mean - I suck at sparring, so I do get hit at the head rather often, so if it were to be replaced after each hit that would be lost of replacements, wouldn't it? And with Football, for example, it would be a comparable situation or not? As a bycicle helmet I would see more use of that at the moment, if it really were to be replaced after each impact.
The helmets are designed to flex and regain their shape. There are also new self-healing printable materials which can be heated to repair damage.
I've 3d printed a number of helmets myself, though only from regular PLA or ABS filament. They're far too brittle for this sort of punishment, but as @SWC Sifu Ben says, new technologies are coming thick and fast, with wood, nylon, and resin printers a lot more common than they used to be. Exciting times, to be sure!