ASHEVILLE, NC (December 7, 2016)…Word of the 3D printed ornament contest hosted by Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore and Spectra3D Technologies is spreading in popularity, with entries from five counties in Western North Carolina and from as far away as Miami, Florida. “Habitat for the Holidays: 3D Printed Ornament Contest” is in its third year and is meant to be a fun and interactive way to highlight the expanding 3D technology while raising funds and awareness for Habitat for Humanity through ornament sales in its ReStore.
This year, high school student Colt Greer of West Caldwell High School in Lenoir, NC was chosen as the contest’s winner, earning him a free print of his design and a 3Doodler, a pen that prints in 3D. Greer’s design stood out among the 44 entries with his depiction of a frontier house with a Christmas tree in the window, and a Christmas star shining above Lake James with Grandfather Mountain in the background. Icicles hang from the bottom of the circular ornament, creating a unique shape. Five judges chose the winning design based on the criteria of: creativity; overall concept; design quality; theme; and printability. Contest guidelines outlined that ornament designs should portray the holiday season, represent the spirit of the holidays in Western North Carolina, and include a reference or allusion to Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.
Greer artfully designed the ornament with a subtle nod towards local natural features, the holidays, and Habitat—a combination that the judges acknowledge is a challenge. However, there is one major hurdle that those new to 3D printing are facing. Spectra3D Technologies’ Jerry LePore stated, “We’re finding that the most challenging criteria with the entries is printability. Some submissions just aren’t printable because pieces aren’t connected or they have structures that need support pieces in order to properly print. That’s something we’ll expand on more in next year’s guidelines. We’re able to make minor edits to some designs to make them printable, but we stay away from doing too much to alter an entry. Colt’s design needed no tweaking—it printed quickly and perfectly.”
Quick and easy printing is important because the company printed at least 50 ornaments shortly before the reveal of the winning design last Saturday, December 3rd. Copies of the winning ornament are available for sale for $5 each at Asheville Habitat’s ReStore (31 Meadow Road, Asheville), and 100% of sales go to Habitat’s building programs.
About Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1983, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity was the first Habitat affiliate in North Carolina. Through Habitat homeownership and home repair programs, more than 1,350 adults and children in Buncombe County have achieved the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build a better future. A decent place to call home and an affordable mortgage enables Habitat homeowners to save more, invest in education, pursue opportunities and have greater financial stability. Learn more about Asheville Area Habitat and how you can get involved at ashevillehabitat.org.
About Spectra3D Technologies
We are a group of educators and designers who are passionate about the exciting future of 3D printing. At Spectra3D Technologies, we offer resources to support the entire 3D printing ecosystem, including printer sales, training, design support, and printing services. Based out of beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, we are working to promote the 3D printing revolution throughout the region.