3D-printed basketball used in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest

18 March 2024

When K.J. Martin used a 3D-printed prototype basketball produced by Wilson during the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, all eyes were on the black grid-patterned ball in his hands. A year later, with the NBA All-Star event approaching once again, Wilson is set to release the Airless Gen1 basketball, now available in three colors, giving tech enthusiasts the opportunity to own their own basketball.

The Airless Gen1 basketball was launched on February 16th on Wilson’s official website in black, brown, and natural beige, and will be featured at events in Indianapolis as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.

KJ Martin with the Wilson Airless Gen 1 Basketball (Image Source: Wilson)

Nadine Lippa, Wilson’s Innovation Manager, stated that working on this project was an exciting task as they focused on exploring 3D printing and various cutting-edge technologies to further enhance their products. This 3D-printed basketball meets the weight, size, and bounce specifications of a standard basketball. Composed of eight blade-like structures, this basketball requires no inflation. Engineers at Wilson’s Chicago lab spent years developing the right material that offers high energy return and durability. They ultimately chose a custom elastomeric laser-sintered powder specifically designed to meet the basketball's specifications.

The production process of the Airless Gen1 basketball includes printing, polishing, dyeing, and sealing. After the basketball is printed, loose 3D printing powder still needs to be removed, and it may get trapped in crevices. Through digital and physical testing, engineers made slight modifications to the mesh structure to improve the basketball's performance consistency. They added holes in the channels, which reduced the time required for manufacturing and post-processing.

Each basketball will now feature a small custom panel where Wilson can print details such as numbering each basketball.

A panel for custom printing (Image Source: Wilson)

Compared to the prototype, the most noticeable change in the Airless Gen1 is that it is available not only in black but also in brown and natural beige. During the printing process, the base color of the polymer is natural, which can be dyed to any desired color. For this first retail release, the color variety showcases the technology’s customization capabilities.

Wilson Airless Gen1 basketball available in black, beige, and brown (Image Source: Wilson)

The concept of a 3D-printed basketball challenges traditional manufacturing methods. Wilson aims to push against the norm by showcasing interest in a 3D-printed, airless basketball and eliminating one of the biggest pain points in basketball manufacturing—maintaining air pressure. This could drive the industry to embrace this technology. Currently, producing a 3D-printed, airless basketball is a highly engineered process, but as manufacturers’ interest grows, the technology may become more widespread, helping to lower production and material costs.

Kevin Krysiak, Senior Director of Global R&D for Team Sports at Wilson, mentioned that their goal is to eventually release a second-generation airless 3D-printed basketball and similar products.

Lippa added that the 3D-printed basketball not only addresses the inflation issue but also allows Wilson to quickly adapt to consumer needs while leveraging the sustainability benefits provided by 3D printing.

Wilson created the airless Airless Gen1 basketball using 3D printing technology (Image Source: Wilson)

Reference File: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6527104

Source: https://www.3dprintinglab.com.hk/

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