Sand in 3D PA12 at macro scale
Some 3D printing projects can really surprise - even those of us who have been working with 3D printing for many years. Such was the case with our collaboration with OUAW - a unique jewellery brand where real grains of sand take centre stage.
The name OUAW (pronounced ”oh wow”) comes from the expression ”Once Upon a Wednesday” reminding us that moments of wonder and discovery can happen any day, even an ordinary day. We just have to remember to notice them and appreciate the small miracles of everyday life.
Jewellery made from sand from around the world
OUAW was founded by Kristina Kallur, and the idea of the project is to create connections between people, places and memories. As the founder herself describes it, the inspiration was to capture moments that connect us to the world - to faraway places, fascinating people and unforgettable experiences - and transform them into something you can wear every day.
The heart of the concept is sand. At first glance it seems ordinary, but in fact it is an extraordinary symbol of connections with the world. Sand links people, places and stories, and evokes a sense of adventure and discovery.
3D modelling of sand: from microscopic grains to impressive prints
To fully convey this idea, OUAW started a unique project: collecting sand from every country in the world. The project took several years and included sand from deserts, rivers, mountains and oceans - both from places visited and places only dreamed of. All these places can symbolically come together in a single piece of jewellery.
One of the most fascinating properties of sand is that no two grains are identical. Each grain - whether from a beach, desert or mountain stream - has its own shape and history.
The selected grains were 3D scanned at a research laboratory at Stockholm University, enabling the creation of accurate 3D digital models of sand from different parts of the world, including the USA, Australia, Madagascar and St Kitts. These 3D models of sand grains are then used as the basis for OUAW's jewellery designs, showing the unique details of the sand.
3D printing: magnifying the invisible
From these digital models, we created large 3D prints of the grains of sand. We used the material PA12 (nylon) in grey colour with an accuracy of ±0.2 mm, which allowed us to reproduce very faithfully the natural geometry of the sand grains.
The original grains of sand are only fractions of a millimetre, while our 3D prints measure between ten and over twenty centimetres. This allows us to see their structure on a scale that is normally impossible to observe.
Interestingly, our realistic 3D prints showed something we rarely notice in everyday life. We often imagine sand as small, similar, round balls. In reality, it's quite different. When you magnify them, you see that each grain has a unique shape, texture and geometry - some are sharp and irregular, others resemble crystals or small rock fragments. The variations are huge, but too small for us to see normally.
It turned out that our industrial 3D printing technology with PA12 powder is perfect for this project, and the natural grey, irregular colour of our parts harmonises well with the character of the sand.
A unique application for 3D printing
In our work with 3D printing in various applications, we do many unusual projects, but this one was really special. Never before had we imagined that we would be printing enlarged grains of sand from all over the world, which then became inspirational models for jewellery.
Projects like this show how extraordinary combinations of science, design and modern 3D technology can be. Something as small and seemingly ordinary as a grain of sand can become a story about travel, the world and human curiosity.
Inspiration for future 3D projects
Each project shows us that 3D printing can be used in countless ways - from jewellery and artwork to industrial prototypes. The creativity of our customers, as in the case of OUAW, can give us a real ”oh wow” and inspire us to the next innovative solution with realistic 3D printing and PA12 3D printing.
