re:3D donates Gigabot 4 3D printer to OrthoAdditive Africa

re:3D, a Texas-based manufacturer of large-scale 3D printers, has donated one of its systems, the Gigabot 4, to OrthoAdditive Africa. The South Africa-based organization specializes in using digital production methods like 3D printing to deliver customized orthotic, prosthetic and seating solutions.

Founded in 2013 as a spin-out of the NASA Johnson Space Center chapter of Engineers Without Borders, re:3D is a social enterprise whose aim is to make 3D printing technologies more accessible around the globe. As part of this mission, the company donates one of its 3D printers every time it sells a hundred systems. For the 2024 Gigaprize competition, re:3D has chosen OrthoAdditive Africa to be the recipient of a Gigabot 4 system.

The Gigabot 4, launched one year ago, is a large-format extrusion system built for industrial production. The machine has a build capacity of 590 x 600 x 600 mm and can print a wide range of industrial thermoplastic materials (so long as they have a melting point below 320 ºC) thanks to its metal dual extrusion system. The Gigabot 4, powered by a 32 bit Ultimachine ArchiMajor control board and Klipper firmware, is also open source.

OrthoAdditive Africa will use the large-format 3D printer primarily to prototype seating, positioning and mobility devices that will ultimately be used to help improve mobility and quality of life for patients across Sub-Saharan Africa. A number of devices are already in development, with OrthoAdditive Africa working closely with Shonaquip SE, a disability equipment supplier based in Cape Town.

The 2024 Gigaprize winner was chosen by a panel of experts from a variety of applicants, including Asmbly Makerspace, a Texas-based makerspace; Black Sheep Food Initiative, a sustainable agriculture organization; the Citizens Archive of Pakistan, a cultural preservation group; and more. Previous winners of the Gigaprize include  Brookwood in Georgetown, which is using its Gigabot 4 to support adults with special needs; Magic Wheelchair, an organization that makes 3D printed costumes for children in wheelchairs; and the Tunapanda Institute, a non-profit that offers 3D printing training and education in Kenya.