We've seen so many blue-sky ID school assignments that this one, which focuses on practicality, is refreshing. It's from the "Basic Knowledge of Product Development" class at Germany's Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, run by professor Mathias Bertram.

"The task was to design a connector between two predefined profiles with a volume not exceeding 75ccm. This connector was then 3D-printed using FDM and tested for load resistance with a specially defined fixture. The goal was to develop a component under given constraints that could withstand as much weight as possible before breaking. To achieve this, topology optimization analyses were applied, and the 3D printing process was fine-tuned for maximum load capacity.

Here's what three different students came up with:

Daniel Glatthaar

Vincent Ackermann

Adrian Wiepcke

"Although the connector was designed for FDM printing, it could also be manufactured using metal casting. Renderings illustrate how the component would look as a precisely cast part: Noise textures mimic the characteristic surface produced by sand casting, while brushed textures represent polished outer surfaces. Realistic imperfections like stains and nicks further enhance the authentic look of both shaders."

This being Germany, where function is every bit as important as looks, the students were required to load-test their creations to prove out their designs.