3D-printed tennis balls aim to match performance of traditional balls
Central Saint Martins graduate Noé Chouraqui has developed Point, a 3D-printed alternative to standard-issue tennis balls made from a bio-based, recyclable filament.
Point balls share the traditional neon-yellow, ringed look of regular tennis balls, but are made from a 3D-printed plant-derived filament called PLA-HR, rather than the conventional hollow rubber core covered in felt.
Chouraqui, who studied at the Product and Industrial Design course at Central Saint Martins (CSM), identified a need for a more sustainable alternative to conventional balls. Over 300 million tennis balls are produced every year across the world, with each taking 400 years to decompose, according to the designer.
He developed Point for his final year project, aiming to create a sustainable alternative without compromising the durability, strength and bounce of regular tennis balls.
"The balls are made from a filament called High Resilience PLA (PLA-HR) – it is a bio-based and recyclable filament made from plant-derived materials, primarily corn starch," Chouraqui told Dezeen.
"PLA-HR is eco-friendly, as it is compostable under industrial conditions and has a lower carbon footprint than traditional plastics."
Chouraqui undertook rigorous testing and experimentation during the development process, with various advanced 3D printing software tried out alongside different filaments, printing parameters and internal lattice structures.
When considering aesthetics, the designer chose to mimic the recognisable look of classic tennis balls, for practical and regulatory reasons.
"It was crucial to preserve the characteristic features of tennis balls so that the product would immediately be identified as a tennis ball, rather than just any other ball," the designer said.
"Although the design of my ball doesn't require them, since it's made from a single material, I made sure to include the familiar felt lines to retain that visual connection."
"Similarly, the choice of fluorescent yellow-green is both a practical and regulatory decision," Chouraqui added. "The International Tennis Federation (ITF) only recognises tennis balls in this colour, and adhering to these standards was important to me."
The result is a ball that looks and acts the part, with prototype Point balls subsequently performing convincingly in practice, according to the designer.
Point balls were officially tested by Jamie Capel Davies, Head of Science and Technical at the International Tennis Federation (ITF), with findings suggesting that their aerodynamic performance closely matches that of traditional tennis balls.
"Currently, the ITF Technical Commission is reviewing Point's data, considering adjustments to regulations to potentially accept sustainable alternatives in official matches," said Chouraqui.
Other 3D-printed pieces recently published on Dezeen include a breast-shaped hanger designed to store bras efficiently and securely, and a spiral-shaped holder designed to cradle baguettes.
The photography is courtesy of Noé Chouraqui.
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