3D Printed Magnetic Blocks Connect Like Magic

Whether you have kids or enjoy building sets with a variety of different intricate block selections, chances are you have not yet experienced 3D printed magnetic blocks. Created by the team at Tuvlaki, headquartered in Greece, these innovative construction sets are made up of powerful magnetic systems. Available to users in a variety of colors and a wide range of shapes, the 3D printed Tuvlaki™ bricks can be used to create complete ‘well-thought-out’ environments bonded by smart connections.

Manufactured at the Tuvlaki facilities in Greece, the building blocks are made from Colorfabb’s PLA/PHA, materials chosen for ‘natural color depiction’ and hands-on texture. The Tuvlaki team sees these sets as ‘the future of hobby construction sets,’ as users just put the bricks in proximity to each other and the magnets click together.

“We are using N35 neodymium (Nd-Fe-B) magnets, that they only lose 2% of their magnetic force in 50 years and they offer a strong enough and safe connection. The minimal  design and the simplicity of the connection make Tuvlaki™ the best  put-together building system. We are sure that you will love the amazing tactile sensation and building experience that Tuvlaki offers.”

Their website offers prices and shopping, along with numerous impressive architectures like:

• The Great Pyramid of Giza
• Machu Picchu
• The Parthenon
• Taj Mahal
• Inca’s Temple

The blocks are printed on both Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 3 3D printers, allowing them to reap all the rewards of 3D printing from quality in design to speed in turnaround—to affordability. The Greek manufacturers are all too aware of the competition they are dealing with from other quite legendary companies like LEGO Group and Hasbro. Because of that, their priority is in offering high-quality products that are both affordable and innovative too—as well as made in Greece rather than outsourced to China.

The company also plans to offer a ‘DIY service’ for printing magnetic blocks at home:

“We started making them in 2018 as a hobby and since then everyone who has seen these blocks at various local events and festivals has been impressed and wanted to order some,” the Tuvlaki team told 3DPrint.com. “So we upgraded the design, simplified the process and found a very easy way to integrate the magnets for a large production line. After this we were ready to start sales.

“Now we have the experience and the infrastructures to make our products available to a larger part of the population. This time we are developing more complex construction sets and a bigger variety of  thematic sectors. Our main future feature (the development has already started, but it will be available in at least one and a half year) will be an AR app in which you will be able to see the instructions for each construction set and to create your own ones.”

There are many different spins on toys and building blocks, from recycling CD’s into blocks to other innovative block toys and a multitude of 3D printing projects that actually employ LEGOs also. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.