Bender bending Rodriguez
STL- https://fab365.net/items/1998
If I had to pick one model that brought the most attention to my designs, it would definitely be the foldable version of Bender from Futurama. This model has been downloaded by thousands of makers around the world, many of whom expressed great satisfaction with it. It became a milestone that helped introduce GOODesign to a global makers.
But as with anything, nothing is ever truly perfect. Over time, I received many suggestions and also began to notice areas that could be improved. I've spent a long time thinking about how to refine the design—and today, I'm excited to finally share the results with all of you.
One of the biggest limitations was the restricted movement of the arms and legs. Many makers, including myself, tried different ways to solve this, but something always felt off. After much trial and error, I came up with a new solution: using soft aluminum wire to create joints with better articulation.
While others have also used wire in the past, I designed a new structure based on print-in-place mechanics where each segment is printed already connected, and the wire is inserted through the joints. This makes the limbs more stable, less floppy, yet still flexible and poseable.
It can also hold more natural and stable poses than any other 3D-printed Bender robot made so far.
It truly looks like it jumped straight out of the animation!
The aluminum wire should be 1.5mm or thinner, and is commonly used for crafts, DIY, or bonsai projects—so it's easy to find. It's also very soft, which means you can cut it easily using standard filament cutters.
Though the assembly may be a bit more involved, the end result brings a level of satisfaction that's among the highest of any robot I've ever designed.
You can check out the assembly process in the video provided.
Solving this long-standing challenge feels incredibly rewarding, and I hope all of you makers out there can share in this joy with me.
Largest part in printing, Size = X 90mm, Y 134mm, Z 68mm, After full assembly Size= X 80mm, Y 50mm, Z 164mm
Total Build Time : 21h 30m / Plastic Weight : 74g