The company I work for, in the robotics industry, asked me to design a trophy for a steampunk-themed event. I really liked the way it turned out and it was well received, so I feel compelled to share it here as well.
This is a picture of this first prototype. The final version had a couple more details and a minor change to support the piston on the bottom to add reliability to the print. The base is acrylic and was ordered separately. The trophy was glued onto the base using B-7000, which is by far my new favorite glue for all PLA projects.
The filament was HATCHBOX Metallic Finish PLA in Brown. NOT in āCopperā. Their Copper color is very pink in comparison and did not translate as well into the Steampunk theme. The trophy was prototyped on A1 mini and printed in groups of 6 on A1.
Things I learned:
B-7000 works perfectly between PLA and acrylic.
Printing a template to help me place the trophy on the base, turned out to be one of the smartest things I did in 2024.
If I had to do it again, I would split it into 2 or 3 parts that assemble. It would have reduced filament usage (fewer supports), and reduced the time wasted in early print failures I experienced 10h into a 12h print.
Hmm thatās probably coming soon. Iām trying to figure out how to repurpose it in a meaningful way.
Bookends might be cool for example. Or just add printable base so it can be a display piece of sort.
Butā¦ the print, as is, requires so much support that I feel like Iād be punishing whoever decides to print it. When I have regained my powers and I feel strong again, Iām going to see if I can deconstruct it a bit into more manageable pieces.
Would it help to slice it in half vertically, print the two halves, and then affix them together with pegs or some such? That can turn some tough prints into pieces of cake.
Definitely an unexpected take!
This is what I consider steampunk in this context. https://tinyurl.com/2646g5uh
For curiosityās sake, what is your interpretation?
Definitely! Iāve done something similar for my mini pumpkins and Wienermobile. I think it would work very well in this case as well and I suspect reduce print time considerably as well. Iām working on an different project atm, but Iāll take a stab at this soon.
Honestly, Iād be happy to share the STL and not bother posting to MW. I just need to clean up a couple of things first.
You said you donāt see anything steampunk. You would add black and silver parts? I canāt put goggles, a corset or a top hat on a robot arm so those are out.
Ok. Fair enough, but I really wanted to understand what you meant. Iām not an artist, or a steampunk fan, so I am very open to the idea that I might have missed the mark.
Steampunk is not my jam, but that is a good looking trophy. The only thing I can think of that might take it up a notch were if you were to find a way to make it look aged. Great job.
Excellent point. I considered airbrush/painting by I am terrible at both, so I went for boring, but safe
I also considered experimenting with this filament, but once my excitement settled I realized I did not have time and probably would have been outside of budget.
Has anyone here tried it? I donāt usually have any need for copper-ish stuff, but this looks really good imo.
The style of artwork in that image can be described as ā3D digital abstract art.ā It features a combination of intricate geometric shapes, smooth curves, and a polished, metallic texture, which are hallmarks of modern 3D rendering techniques. The design also incorporates a sense of symmetry and complexity, typical in abstract or generative art.
You said:
Could it be called steampunk?
ChatGPT said:
No, it doesnāt fit the traditional steampunk aesthetic. Steampunk typically involves a blend of Victorian-era design elements with steam-powered machinery, featuring brass, gears, and an overall retro-futuristic look. The image you shared has more of a sleek, futuristic, and metallic appearance, lacking the vintage, mechanical feel characteristic of steampunk.
For what itās worth, I then reparsed the image into DALL-E and this is what it gave me.
To piggyback on lion7718ās pointā¦ It wasnāt a debate. I made something for someone else as a favor. They were very happy with what they got and the award recipients like it.
I donāt claim to be a design expert, nor an artist. If someone sees the robot-arm trophy and it reminds them of plumbing, thatās perfectly fine. Iām not emotionally vested in anyoneās response, unless you tell me itās ā ā ā ā (like ChatGPT did with the tag on the trophy in the first image it generated ), then Iāll be a bit disappointed, but Iāll never sit here and debate personal taste. There are much more purposeful hills for me to die on and none of them are on a forum about 3d printing.
TLDR: I really do appreciate everyoneās feedback. Thank you
), then Iāll be a bit disappointed, but Iāll never sit here and debate personal taste. There are much more purposeful hills for me to die on and none of them are on a forum about 3d printing. 
