With the presentation of this month’s NFL Super Bowl LVIIl in Las Vegas, a specially-made design constituting the world’s tallest free-standing 3D printed structure will also be on display inside Allegiant Stadium courtesy of the Kansas City tandem MANICA Architecture and fabrication firm Dimensional Innovations (DI).
The special Al Davis Memorial Torch is made in tribute to the eccentric former Raiders owner, author of the phrase "Just Win Baby," and a favorite among NFL fans for many decades.
Over 50,000 work hours went into the project between 2019 and 2020. When it culminated at 93 feet, it featured 1,148 total aluminum panels robotically painted in silver and supported by 226 individual 3D printed carbon fiber blocks weighing approximately 350 pounds apiece.
Each metal component was machined on a five-axis router to an incredible tolerance (approximately the width of a human hair) before DI could take over the installation. The result was a powerful tribute that projects the domineering persona of Davis over the playing field from the uppermost mezzanine.
"Our firm had never met a project of this scale or complexity. In fact, nobody had. Our team worked relentlessly to develop, print, fabricate, test, and install the memorial torch to ensure it conveys the symbolic flame that burns brightest in the Raiders organization," Justin Wood, the Sports Practice Director for DI, said in a preview. "We couldn’t be more excited for fans to experience this marvel from up close and afar during 'the Big Game'."
Purdue University also contributed design services to the project, which further included Allegiant Stadium architect of record, HNTB; general contractor Mortenson-McCarthy; Ultratech Aerospace; A. Zahner; and Bob D. Campbell Engineering. Another team member, the Ontario-based ASTOUND Architectural Fabrication, has a closer look at their contribution to the process here.
3 Comments
Hard to understand how big this thing is. Maybe place it next to Taylor Swift for scale.
The video is crazy because they 3D print panels and then machine them down the outside face and edges to final tolerances.
I think it's also a platform so there must be internal stairs.
The segmental ring construction is kind of like tunnel liner panels.
The video specifically notes the framing seen on inside is just to let people get inside/to the top and supports (what I took to be independent structurally) stairs. Does not support the "Torch" in anyway. This "free-standing" aspect of the 3d printed material/form is definitely neat!
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