For this week’s edition of Inventor Spotlight, we talked to a brilliant 3D creator and Star Wars fan, Alex Schwaninger. We asked him about his creative process and what inspires him to create in 3D, and his current projects.

Alex Schwaninger’s Star Wars Helmets

WHO IS ALEX SCHWANINGER?

Alex is a 25-year-old 3D creator based in Bavaria, Germany. He started his journey three years ago, fascinated by the endless possibilities offered by 3D printing. Currently, he is also part of a small group of creators using their 3D printers to produce face shields. He also runs the blog Builders vs. Virus.

BUILDING THE 3D PRINTED STAR WARS HELMET?

After upgrading his printer and gaining mastery by printing 3D benchys and other stuff, he started designing and writing items for his house and man-cave. After searching for a while, he stumbled upon a Star Wars helmet model that completely blew him away. He decided to print one for his collection. After printing the piece, and a lot of gluing, sanding, and painting later, he had his first helmet. This introduced him to his new hobby, cosplaying. Soon, he was working on building his own armor.

Alex Schwaninger’s 3d prints

ADVICE FOR PEOPLE GETTING INVOLVED WITH 3D PRINTING?

“The first thing, if you are thinking of doing the same, is research, a lot of it. I made this mistake at my first armor, so in the end, I started printing the whole thing again (this time with the right files) and with some extra protection.”

“So, if you are thinking about getting yourself a printer, do it! It’s enjoyable to get your own stuff, workaround, tune and improve your printer, and maybe even get started in CAD designing. You can’t imagine the joy of having something in front of you, printed in solid plastic that existed only in your mind only a few days ago. So, in the end, it’s all about having fun.”

WHERE TO FIND ALEX AND HIS WORK?

You can follow Alex Schwaninger on Instagram @azoroes and reach him by mail at deathtrooper@scarif.de. You can also check out his great work with the 3D-Print Community in 2020 Help from Bavaria initiative at https://azoroes.wixsite.com/meinewebsite.

If you would like to be featured in our Inventor Spotlight, feel free, send us an email to contact@bionicinventor.com. We’d love to hear from you!