Mimaki 3D rocks to print directly on guitar

Swedish Olaf Diegel, now professor of additive manufacturing at University of Auckland has re-imagined the iconic Fender Telecaster to create a fire-breathing LED-festooned masterpiece. Jimi Hendrix would have loved it – and saved the lighter fuel. Here’s a sneak preview of Olaf Diegel’s Fire 3D printed guitar—a homage to the Fender Telecaster, one of the hottest guitars of all time. The guitar’s body is 3D printed in full-colour translucent acrylic with a flame texture. And, of course, it has LEDs that flicker like fire on the inside for added effects!

The guitar was printed on a Mimaki 3DUJ-553 full-colour 3D printer and designed using a combination of Solidworks and Topology. This work is part of the University of Auckland Creative Design and Additive Manufacturing Lab’s work aiming at showing what is the possible good design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) practices? Formerly a professor at Lund University in Sweden, Diegel is now in charge of the Creative Design and Additive Manufacturing Lab at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, as well as a professor of additive manufacturing and product development.